To evaluate the prognostic significance of serum GGT in patients with intermediate HCC (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B) treated with TACE.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 176 intermediate HCC patients receiving TACE treatment in 301 Hospital Department of Interventional Radiology from August 2008 to December 2011. Survival rates and prognostic significance were compared between the 130 patients (High GGT group) and 46 patients (normal GGT group). The survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank method was used for univariate analysis, and the Cox regression model was used for multivariate analysis.

The level of GGT was statistically different(P<0.001) in the high GGT group and normal GGT group before TACE, which was respectively 176.1±138.8 U/L and 33.0±9.3 U/L. After patients treated with TACE, the 1, 2 and 3 year survival rates were 52.3%、35.4% and 23.1%, respectively, and the median survival time was 17.0 months in the high GGT group. The 1, 2 and 3 year survival rates were 86.6%、55.3% and 40.4%, respectively, and the median survival time was 32.0 months in the normal GGT group. It has statistically signifcant(P=0.001) on the median survival time. It was showed that by univariate analysis, the survival rares(P<0.05)were relevanted with the following several aspects: the level of serum GGT before TACE, hepatocirrhosis, Child score, tumor size, tumor numbers and serum AFP level, and the level of serum GGT before TACE and tumor size were prognosis-related factors by Cox multiple regression analysis.

The level of GGT before TACE was an important prognostic factor to predict the effect of TACE on patients with intermediate HCC.