Women receive more inpatient resections and ablations for hepatocellular carcinoma than men

AIM: To evaluate disparities in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on gender. METHODS: A retrospective database analysis using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) was performed between 2010 and 2013. Adult patients with a primary diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma determined by International Classification of Disease 9 (ICD-9) codes were included. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to analyze differences in treatment, mortality, features of decompensation, and metastatic disease based on the patient’s gender. RESULTS: The analysis included 62582 patients with 45908 men and 16674 women. Women were less likely to present with decompensated liver disease (OR = 0.84, P < 0.001) and had less risk of inpatient mortality when compared to men (OR = 0.75, P < 0.001). Women were more likely to receive inpatient resection (OR = 1.31, P < 0.001) or an ablation (OR = 1.22, P = 0.028) than men. There was no significant difference between men and women in regard to liver transplantation and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). CONCLUSION: Gender impacts treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma. Women are more likely to undergo an ablation or resection then men. Gender disparities in transplantation have resolved.