Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41555236›Full record

ArticleBMC gastroenterology2026

Tumor growth rate for prognostic stratification and treatment optimization in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated with TACE combined with systemic therapy.

Guobin Chen, Meixia Wang, Xing Huang, Zhenzhen Zhang, Yanfang Wu, Xiaochun Chen, Xinkun Guo, Susu Zheng, Tanghui Zheng, Hong Chen and 2 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC gastroenterology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Guobin Chen *Department of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China.
Meixia Wang *Department of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China.
Xing Huang *Department of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China.
Zhenzhen ZhangDepartment of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China.
Yanfang WuDepartment of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China.
Xiaochun ChenDepartment of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China.
Xinkun GuoDepartment of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China.
Susu ZhengDepartment of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China.
Tanghui ZhengDepartment of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China.
Hong ChenDepartment of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China.
Jingfang WuDepartment of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China.
Boheng ZhangDepartment of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, China. zhang.boheng@zsxmhospital.com.

Funding

medical and health guidance project of Xiamen 3502Z20244ZD110Natural Science Foundation of Xiamen Municipality 3502Z20227386
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTumor growth rate (TGR) is a dynamic biomarker for evaluating therapeutic response and prognosis in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) with triple therapy, yet its clinical utility and role in guiding treatment optimization require further validation.

methodsThis study included 68 uHCC patients receiving transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with systemic combination therapy. Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to balance baseline confounders. Cubic spline models explored nonlinear associations between TGR and survival risk and found the ideal cut-off points. Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis compared overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between TGR subgroups, Cox multivariate regression evaluated the independent prognostic value of TGR.

resultsCox analysis confirmed TGR0 as an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio (HR) 1.035, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.013-1.057, p = 0.020) and PFS (HR 1.033, 95%CI: 1.014-1.053, p = 0.001). After stratified for TGR0/TGR1 and matched, the low-TGR0 group showed significantly longer median OS (not reached vs. 13.09 months, p = 0.002) and PFS (12.11 vs. 4.38 months, p = 0.006) than the high-TGR0 group. In the subgroup analysis, after propensity score matching(PSM), the low-TGR1 group demonstrated a more favorable prognosis compared with high-TGR1(mOS: not reached vs. 16.97 months, p = 0.024; mOS1: not reached vs. 11.78 months, p = 0.022).

conclusionsDynamic TGR monitoring identifies heterogeneous therapeutic responses, guiding timely personalized treatment adjustments and prognostic stratification in uHCC.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, HepatocellularChemoembolization, TherapeuticLiver NeoplasmsAgedCombined Modality TherapyFemaleHumansKaplan-Meier EstimateMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisProgression-Free SurvivalPropensity ScoreProportional Hazards ModelsRetrospective StudiesSorafenibSorafenibAngiogenesis inhibitorsHepatocellular carcinomaImmune checkpoint inhibitorsTransarterial chemoembolizationTumor growth rate

Identifiers

PMID41555236
PMCPMC12896348

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.