Prognostic factors of survival in 236 advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients enrolled in prospective clinical trials of systemic therapy

e15632 Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant disease. Promising results of prospective clinical trials using systemic therapy for patients with advanced HCC are emerging. The aim of this study was to explore prognostic factors of survival in advanced HCC patients eligible for clinical trials of systemic therapy. Methods: From December 1990 to July 2005, 236 patients with unresectable HCC were enrolled into 6 phase II trials of systemic therapy using the following regimens: (1) oral etoposide + tamoxifen, (2)doxorubicin + tamoxifen, (3)IFN-α2b + doxorubicin + tamoxifen, (4)pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, (5)thalidomide, and (6)arsenic trioxide. Univariate and multivariate analyses of 23 relevant clinical characteristics/staging systems were used to identify prognostic factors of survival. Results: Baseline characteristics: median age 55; male/female: 192/44; HBsAg(+) 71%; anti-HCV(+) 30%; Okuda stage I/II/III: 42%/55%/3%; AJCC stage III/IV: 30%/61%; BCLC stage B/C/D: 1%/94%/5%; ...