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Background and Aim: Extrahepatic metastasis (EHM) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) leads to a worse prognosis. We aimed to develop a nomogram based on noninvasive pretreatment clinical data to predict EHM of HCC sooner. Methods: Three cohorts containing 1820, 479, and 988 HCC patients were enrolled from three hospitals in different regions in Taiwan and served as the training and validation cohorts. Pretreatment clinical data were analyzed by Cox regression modeling for independent risk factors of EHM. Results: Platelet count ≥ 200 × 103/μL, serum alfa‐fetoprotein ≥ 100 ng/dL, tumor size ≥ 3 cm, tumor number > 1, and macrovascular invasion were independent risk factors for EHM and were used to develop a nomogram. This nomogram had concordance indices of 0.733 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.688–0.778) and 0.739 (95% CI: 0.692–0.787) for the prediction of EHM during a 5‐year follow‐up duration in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. A nomogram score > 61 implied a high risk of EHM (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.83; 95% CI: 2.77–5.31, P < 0.001). Conclusion: We have developed a nomogram that could accurately predict EHM of HCC and be readily available for formulating individualized treatment for all individual HCC patients to improve therapeutic efficacy. We have developed a nomogram that could accurately predict extrahepatic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and be readily available for formulating individualized treatment for all individual HCC patients to improve therapeutic efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostridium septicum is an anaerobic, Gram-positive bacillus. Infection with this organism has a known association with malignant diseases, especially colon and haematological cancers. Clostridium septicum is rarely found to be a pathogen of liver abscess. Herein, we report the case of a female choriocarcinoma patient with liver metastasis in which C. septicum infection presented as a gas-forming liver abscess. This case and previous reports indicate that once C. septicum is identified as a pathogen in liver abscess, metastatic liver tumours should be highly suspected. © 1999 Blackwell Science Asia Pty Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Aspirin, known to reduce the risk of liver cancer, has been proposed as a preventive measure for patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. However, concerns regarding aspirin's potential to cause gastrointestinal (GI) mucosal injury and bleeding have emerged. Several antiplatelets other than aspirin (APOA) that pose a smaller risk of GI bleeding than aspirin have been proposed as potential aspirin substitutes. This study investigated whether APOAs were effective at reducing the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Additionally, we evaluated the safety of APOAs, specifically regarding their potential to increase the risk of GI bleeding, in a nationwide cirrhosis cohort., Patients and Methods: For the period January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2017, we identified 686 993 patients with cirrhosis from a national database. A control group was established using 1:2 propensity score matching on the basis of sex, age, comorbidities, and medication use., Results: Daily use of APOAs was significantly associated with lower incidences of HCC (aHR 0.67; 95% CI, 0.60-0.73; P < 0.001) and showed no significant increase in GI bleeding risk (aHR 1.04; 95% CI, 0.93-1.15; P = 0.533) compared to nonuse of APOAs. However, the risks of intracranial hemorrhage (aHR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.18 to 1.69; P < 0.001) and overall mortality (aHR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.95 to 2.10; P < 0.001) were higher in the APOA user group., Conclusion: Our results suggest that although daily use of APOAs other than aspirin may decrease the HCC risk of patients with cirrhosis, it may also increase their risks of intracranial hemorrhage and overall mortality. Therefore, the use of APOAs as an alternative to aspirin for HCC prevention in patients with cirrhosis requires careful consideration., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Lee et al.)

Aeromonas hydrophila is a low-virulence gram-negative bacillus. It has never been reported as a pathogen of non-traumatic acute osteomyelitis in a cirrhotic patient. Herein, we reported on a case of decompensated liver cirrhosis with Aeromonas hydrophila infection presenting as acute gastroenteritis and non-traumatic acute osteomyelitis. It has been shown that Aeromonas bacteremia usually affects immunocompromised subjects, such as those with liver cirrhosis. Non-traumatic acute osteomyelitis should be highly suggested when a cirrhotic patient with Aeromonas bacteremia presents with severe low back pain and no associated trauma.