Natural killer cell activity is a risk factor for the recurrence risk after curative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 3 Predictors for HCC recurrence

Variable	Rating	Univariate	Multivariate
Variable	Rating	P value	HR	95% CI	P value
Age	Years	0.549
Sex	0 = female; 1 = male	0.497
Etiology	1 = viral; 2 = other	0.907
Liver cirrhosis	0 = no; 1 = yes	0.0578
Type of treatment	1 = resection; 2 = RFA	0.062
Child–Pugh class	1 = A; 2 = B	0.140
BCLC stage	1 = 0 or A; 2 = B	0.035	3.412	1.026–11.355	0.045
Total bilirubin, mg/dL		0.571
Albumin, g/dL		0.301
Aspartate aminotransferase, IU/L		0.163
Alanine aminotransferase, IU/L		0.848
Platelet count, 10⁹/L		0.120
Prothrombin time, INR		0.296
MELD score		0.766
Alpha-fetoprotein, ng/mL		0.329
PIVKA-II, mAU/mL		0.117
Baseline IFN-γ producing NK cell proportion, %	1 = < 45%; 2 = ≥ 45%	0.836
*P1m IFN-γ producing NK cell proportion, %	1 = < 45%; 2 = ≥ 45%	0.001	6.934	2.100–22.897	0.001

^*P1m, post 1 month after curative treatment; HCC hepatocellular carcinoma, HR hazard ratio, CI confidence interval, BCLC Barcelona clinic liver cancer, IFN interferon

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