Clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes of liver cancer in a tertiary oncology center.

Abstract

e16187 Background: Liver cancer is an aggressive malignancy with poor overall survival, particularly when diagnosed at advanced stages. Although advances in systemic therapies have improved outcomes in selected populations, real-world data on disease presentation, treatment utilization, and survival outcomes remain limited in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study evaluated clinicopathological characteristics, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes among patients with liver cancer managed in a tertiary oncology centre. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with liver cancer managed at the Medserve-LUTH Cancer Centre, Lagos, Nigeria, between June 2019 and May 2024. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient characteristics. Survival outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Among 68 patients, the mean age at diagnosis was 53 ± 13.9 years (range 25-85), and 70.6% were male. Hepatocellular carcinoma was the most common histological subtype (86.8%). The most frequent presenting symptoms were abdominal pain (45.6%), weight loss (35.3%), jaundice (13.2%), fatigue (13.2%), and hepatomegaly (10.3%). A history of smoking was reported in 8.8%, while 22.1% reported alcohol use. Family history of cancer was documented in 2.9% of patients. Comorbidities were present in 50% of patients, including hypertension (17.6%), diabetes (10.3%), and peptic ulcer disease (5.9%). Hepatitis B and C infections were present in 17.6% and 2.9% of patients, respectively. Metastatic disease commonly involved the bone (23.5%), lung (16.2%), and demonstrated intrahepatic spread (13.2%). Treatment modalities included surgery (2.9%), chemotherapy (13.2%), and radiotherapy (11.8%). The one-year survival rate was 13.1%. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a mean survival time of 6.17 ± 7.83 months (95% CI: 4.63-7.71) and median survival time of 3.93 ± 5.08 months (95% CI: 2.94-4.93). Survival did not differ significantly by age, metastatic status, comorbidity burden, or receipt of radiotherapy. Conclusions: Real-world outcomes for patients with liver cancer remain poor, with a short median survival and low one-year survival rates. Late presentation, high comorbidity burden, and limited access to effective therapies likely contribute to these outcomes. Strengthening early detection strategies, improving linkage to care, and expanding access to effective systemic and locoregional treatments are essential to improving survival in patients with liver cancer in SSA.