Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Factors of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in HIV-Infected Patients

From 1998 to 2012, we looked at 53 HIV-positive individuals with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) who were diagnosed at our facility. All of the patients had hepatitis virus infection (77% HCV, 12% HBV, and 11% HCV+HBV), and 95% had cirrhosis of the liver. In 41% of individuals, HCC was discovered while they were being monitored. Patients were offered potentially curative therapy in 32% of cases and palliative care in 30% of cases. Median survival was 2 months in those diagnosed from 1998 to 2005, and 11 months in those diagnosed from 2006 to 2012, P=0.16. HCC stage, alphafetoprotein serum levels, MELD score, and any treatment were all independently linked to survival.