Recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma has an increased risk of subsequent recurrence after curative treatment

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Local ablation therapy has been shown to be effective for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, HCC recurrence is very frequent even after apparently curative treatment. In particular, recurrent HCC may be more prone to subsequent recurrence, although quantitative data are lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the difference in the risk for subsequent recurrence, if any, between primary and recurrent cases. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 376 patients with HCC (uninodular and 100 ng/mL, treatment other than radiofrequency ablation, HCV antibody positivity, and tumor multinodularity also remained as significant predictors. CONCLUSION: Hepatocellular carcinoma at second or later recurrence is three times as prone to subsequent recurrence as is primary HCC, when compared with adjustment for other tumor and hepatic factors.