Preoperative circulating tumor cells indicate microvascular invasion and dynamical detection indicate the early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between preoperative circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and microvascular invasion (MVI), and the relationship between dynamic changes of CTCs and early recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

We enrolled 90 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy and collected CTCs at 5 days before surgery and 1 month after surgery. They were divided into two groups according to the number of preoperative CTCs (CTCs ≤ 5/5 ml group, n = 29 and CTCs > 5/5 ml group, n = 61).

RESULTS

Multivariate analysis showed that CTCs > 5/5 ml was independently associated with MVI (OR:3.227, P = 0.025). Compared with patients with postoperative CTC count increased, postoperative CTCs reduction was associated with better recurrence-free survival (RFS) (P = 0.021; 2-year RFS rate: 42.50% vs. 67.80%). The RFS of MVI negative patients was significantly longer than that of MVI positive patients (P = 0.013; 2-year RFS rate: 75.00% vs. 39.50%).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative CTC count in peripheral blood of HCC patients was closely related to MVI. The increased number of CTCs after surgery indicated a higher risk of early recurrence.