The elderly undergoing examination, 'Hepatic cancer' has more than twice the survival time after diagnosis
Jul 30, 2024
When the elderly over 75 years of age underwent liver cancer surveillance tests (regular checkups for high-risk groups), survival time after liver cancer diagnosis was more than twice as long.
A team led by Professor Kim A-ryeong of the Department of Gastroenterology at Ilsan Paik Hospital in Inje University (the corresponding author Shin Dong-hyun of Samsung Seoul Hospital) analyzed patients with liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC) over 75 years of age, and found that the elderly who underwent surveillance tests developed symptoms and had an average survival time twice longer and a lower risk of death than those diagnosed with liver cancer.
This is the result of analyzing medical records of 419 elderly patients over 75 years of age diagnosed with liver cancer between 2009 and 2021.
The research team analyzed the survival period by dividing it into two groups: 235 people (examination group) diagnosed with liver cancer through surveillance tests and 184 people (symptomatic group) diagnosed with liver cancer due to symptoms. As a result of the study, the average survival time in the screening group was 4.4 years, more than twice as long as the symptom group (2.1 years). The screening group also had a 36% lower risk of death than the symptom group.
As a result of analyzing only patients over 80 years of age separately, the average survival period of the examination group was 3.3 years, which was longer than that of the symptom group (1.8 years).
The main reason for the high survival rate in the screening group was 'early detection' of liver cancer. In the screening group, 72.3% were diagnosed in the first and second stages of liver cancer, while in the symptom group, the difference was about twice as much as 39.1%.
Professor Kim A-ryeong of the Department of Gastroenterology at Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital emphasized, "The elderly tend to neglect regular liver cancer screening even though they are at high risk for developing liver cancer. In order to detect liver cancer early and improve survival rates, it is important for patients at high risk for developing liver cancer, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and cirrhosis, to undergo active regular liver cancer surveillance tests at all ages, including the elderly."
Professor Kim Ah-ryeong also said, `It is recommended that cancer screening be conducted when the life expectancy is more than 10 years"According to data from the National Statistical Office in 2021, the life expectancy of 75 years is 13.4 years and that of 80 years is 9.9 years, and the screening for liver cancer is well worth it considering the life expectancy."
Liver cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in Korea. The 5-year survival rate of liver cancer is less than 40%, which is a cancer with a poor prognosis. If detected early, the average survival period is more than five years, but if diagnosed as advanced, only palliative care can be received, reducing the average survival period to two years.
In Korea, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are considered the most important causes of liver cancer. Recently, the incidence of liver cancer caused by fatty liver and alcohol has been increasing.
Since liver cancer is mostly asymptomatic until progression, early diagnosis is possible only through screening tests (examinations). It is recommended that high-risk patients with liver cancer, such as hepatitis B and cirrhosis, undergo regular liver cancer screening (hepatic ultrasound and serum alpha fetal protein test) once every six months.
The findings were published in the latest issue of Scientific Reports, a sister journal of the world-renowned scientific journal Nature.
A team led by Professor Kim A-ryeong of the Department of Gastroenterology at Ilsan Paik Hospital in Inje University (the corresponding author Shin Dong-hyun of Samsung Seoul Hospital) analyzed patients with liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC) over 75 years of age, and found that the elderly who underwent surveillance tests developed symptoms and had an average survival time twice longer and a lower risk of death than those diagnosed with liver cancer.
This is the result of analyzing medical records of 419 elderly patients over 75 years of age diagnosed with liver cancer between 2009 and 2021.
The research team analyzed the survival period by dividing it into two groups: 235 people (examination group) diagnosed with liver cancer through surveillance tests and 184 people (symptomatic group) diagnosed with liver cancer due to symptoms. As a result of the study, the average survival time in the screening group was 4.4 years, more than twice as long as the symptom group (2.1 years). The screening group also had a 36% lower risk of death than the symptom group.
As a result of analyzing only patients over 80 years of age separately, the average survival period of the examination group was 3.3 years, which was longer than that of the symptom group (1.8 years).
The main reason for the high survival rate in the screening group was 'early detection' of liver cancer. In the screening group, 72.3% were diagnosed in the first and second stages of liver cancer, while in the symptom group, the difference was about twice as much as 39.1%.
Professor Kim A-ryeong of the Department of Gastroenterology at Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital emphasized, "The elderly tend to neglect regular liver cancer screening even though they are at high risk for developing liver cancer. In order to detect liver cancer early and improve survival rates, it is important for patients at high risk for developing liver cancer, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and cirrhosis, to undergo active regular liver cancer surveillance tests at all ages, including the elderly."
Professor Kim Ah-ryeong also said, `It is recommended that cancer screening be conducted when the life expectancy is more than 10 years"According to data from the National Statistical Office in 2021, the life expectancy of 75 years is 13.4 years and that of 80 years is 9.9 years, and the screening for liver cancer is well worth it considering the life expectancy."
Liver cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in Korea. The 5-year survival rate of liver cancer is less than 40%, which is a cancer with a poor prognosis. If detected early, the average survival period is more than five years, but if diagnosed as advanced, only palliative care can be received, reducing the average survival period to two years.
In Korea, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are considered the most important causes of liver cancer. Recently, the incidence of liver cancer caused by fatty liver and alcohol has been increasing.
Since liver cancer is mostly asymptomatic until progression, early diagnosis is possible only through screening tests (examinations). It is recommended that high-risk patients with liver cancer, such as hepatitis B and cirrhosis, undergo regular liver cancer screening (hepatic ultrasound and serum alpha fetal protein test) once every six months.
The findings were published in the latest issue of Scientific Reports, a sister journal of the world-renowned scientific journal Nature.
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