PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - ISHIZUKA, MITSURU
AU  - KUBOTA, KEIICHI
AU  - SHIMODA, MITSUGI
AU  - KITA, JUNJI
AU  - KATO, MASATO
AU  - PARK, KYUNG HWA
AU  - SHIRAKI, TAKAYUKI
TI  - Effect of Menatetrenone, a Vitamin K<sub>2</sub> Analog, on Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Surgical Resection: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial
DP  - 2012 Dec 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 5415--5420
VI  - 32
IP  - 12
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/32/12/5415.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/32/12/5415.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2012 Dec 01; 32
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate whether menatetrenone (MNT) suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence in patients undergoing hepatectomy. Between January 2005 and September 2009, 101 patients who underwent curative hepatectomy for primary HCC were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups: a non-MNT group (n=51), and an MNT group (n=50) that was administered 45 mg of MNT daily. During the observation period, recurrence was observed in 33 patients in the non-MNT group and in 28 patients of the MNT group (p=0.545). In patients with a preoperative Des-γ-carboxy-prothrombin (DCP) level lower than 40 AU/l (n=38), the cumulative disease-free survival rates at 12, 36, and 60 months in the non-MNT group, were 81.3%, 0.0%, and 0.0%, respectively, while those in the MNT group were 78.3%, 58.1%, and 31.0%, respectively (p=0.060). MNT has a moderately suppressive effect on HCC recurrence after hepatectomy, especially in patients with a normal preoperative DCP level.