Supplementary Material for: Factors relating to Tumor size and survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: significance of PLR, PVT and albumin.

Background and Objectives: Maximum tumor diameter (MTD) is one of the key aggressiveness features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the clinical associations and causes of large size HCC are not well understood. The aims is to compare small and large MTD (≤/> 6cm) HCCs with respect to clinical associations. Materials and Methods: MTD ≤/> 6cm HCCs were compared by clinical characteristics and analyzed through logistical regression models, as well as Cox proportional hazard models for death, on clinical parameters. Results: Patients with larger HCCs had more portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and tumor multifocality, higher AST, ALKP and GGT levels and lower albumin levels. A logistic regression model of MTD (≤/> 6cm) showed the highest risk for PVT and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) >150, while albumin and female gender were protective. Combination male gender, PLR >150 plus PVT had an odds ratio of 12.124. In Cox proportional hazard models, the highest hazard ratio for death was for PVT, and only albumin was significantly protective. PVT plus low albumin had a hazard ratio of 4.254. Conclusions PVT, albumin, PLR and gender were significant for ≤/> 6cm MTD. PVT and albumin were significant for survival.