Gender difference in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma represents the fifth most common cancer worldwide and account for approximately 90% of primary liver cancer. Men have a higher prevalence than women; the sex ratio varies between 2:1 and 4:1, depending on the geographic region.

Aim: To determine the influence of gender on the clinicopathologic characteristics and survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records was performed in 63 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and their clinicopathologic features and survival were compared in relation to gender. The data was summarized by descriptive statistics and analysed with SPSS version 11.5.

Results: Among these patients, 36 were men (57.1%) with male-to female ratio of 2:1.5, the mean female age was 59.8 years (p=0.054). Serum albumin level was significantly lower in women (p=0.0061).The average size of the tumor was 45.8mm and the difference was not significant (p=0.638). Hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly more prevalent among 16 men with post viral B cirrhosis (p=0.04). The main reason for therapeutic abstention was multifocal character of the hepatocellular carcinoma. The median survival time (6.52 months) was not different between the 2 groups.

Conclusion: At diagnosis, men were younger than women. The viral C etiology was statistically more frequent in women than in men. Hepatocellular carcinoma was more aggressive in male but median survival time was not significant between groups. Screening and early treatment can limit this problem.