Statin use is associated with better post-operative prognosis among patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The high postoperative recurrence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant challenge. Patient metabolic factors are potential disease modifiers and should be examined as risk factors for postoperative prognosis. Here, we assessed the association between long-term statin use and HCC recurrence after surgical resection of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC.

METHODS:

Patients who initially underwent curative resection for HBV-related HCC between 2005 and 2015 were recruited and followed up until December 2019. Patients were classified into statin user and non-statin user groups based on whether or not they had been prescribed statins for ≥2 years. The primary outcome was HCC recurrence, and the secondary outcome was liver-related mortality. The cumulative incidence by statin use was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using multivariable Cox regression.

RESULTS:

Among 5653 patients with a median 6.1 years of follow-up, HCC recurrence and liver-related mortality occurred in 1603 and 316 patients, respectively. The 5-year cumulative incidence of HCC recurrence in the statin user group (15.9%) was significantly lower than that in the non-user group (21.3%; p = .019). From multivariable Cox regression analysis, statin use was significantly associated with a reduced risk of HCC recurrence (aHR 0.77, 95% CI: 0.61-0.98; p = .035) and liver-related mortality (aHR 0.48, 95% CI: 0.25-0.90; p = .023).

CONCLUSION:

Long-term statin use was significantly associated with reduced risk of HCC recurrence and liver-related mortality after curative resection of HBV-related HCC.

• Authors: Byungyoon Yun, Sang Hoon Ahn, Juyeon Oh, Jin-Ha Yoon, Beom Kyung Kim
• Journal: European journal of clinical investigation (Eur J Clin Invest) Vol. 53 Issue 4 Pg. e13936 (Apr 2023) ISSN: 1365-2362 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 36504405 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2022 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical References

• Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors

Topics

• Aged
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (drug therapy, mortality, pathology, surgery, virology)
• Hepatitis B virus
• Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• Liver Neoplasms (drug therapy, mortality, pathology, surgery, virology)
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local (epidemiology)
• Prognosis
• Risk Assessment