由于缺乏筛查计划和正确诊断的困难，在低资源国家，肝细胞癌（HHC）患者大多晚期出现。因此，本研究评估了甘比亚患有HCC的患者的临床特征、分期和预后变量。自2015年12月至2019年1月，纳入了已确认患有HCC的患者。收集了所有患者的病史、超声检查、FibroScan和实验室详细信息。共纳入了260名患者。HCC患者的平均年龄为40岁，其中210名（80.7%）为男性。最常见的胃肠道症状为早饱感229例（88.1%）和腹痛288例（87.7%），而最常见的全身症状为体重减轻237例（91.2%）和易疲劳237例（91.2%）。肝大205例（78.8%）是最常见的体征。超声检查显示病变多为多发性175例（67.3%），FibroScan中位数得分为75 kPa。中位数纤维化指数4和门脉转氨酶叶酸转移酶比指数分别为4.6和2.2。170例（65.4%）患者乙型肝炎表面抗原（HBsAg）呈阳性，中位数甲胎蛋白水平为3263 ng/ml。与HBsAg阴性的HCC患者相比，HBsAg阳性的HCC患者更容易为男性145例（85.3%） vs 62例（72.1%）（p = 0.011），年龄更年轻39.9岁 vs 51.4岁（p =  < 0.0001），更容易有腹痛156例（91.8%） vs 68例（79.1%）（p = 0.002），黄疸78例（45.9%） vs 29例（33.7%）（p = 0.042），尿色变深117例（68.8%） vs 46例（53.5%）（p = 0.018），转氨酶升高（门脉转氨酶224.5（32-7886） vs 153（18-610），p =  < 0.01；丙氨酸转氨酶71（5-937） vs 47（8-271），p =  < 0.001）以及减少的血小板计数207（33-941） vs 252（52-641）（p = 0.021）。发展中国家如甘比亚的HCC患者预后较差，筛查计划和治疗方法匮乏。年轻男性的受影响程度不成比例，并且HBV是甘比亚HCC的主要原因。© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd.，Springer Nature公司的一部分。

As a result of the lack of screening programs and the difficulty in making a proper diagnosis, the majority of hepatocellular carcinoma (HHC) patients present late in low-resource countries. The study therefore assesses the clinical features, stage and prognostic variables of patients with HCC in The Gambia.From December 2015 to January 2019, patients with a confirmed diagnosis of HCC were enrolled. All patients' medical history, ultrasound scan, FibroScan and laboratory details were collected.Two hundred and sixty (260) patients were enrolled. The mean age of HCC patients was 40 years, and 210 (80.7%) of them were male. The most common gastrointestinal symptoms were early satiety 229 (88.1%) and abdominal pain 288 (87.7%), while the most common constitutional symptoms were weight loss 237 (91.2%) and easy fatiguability 237 (91.2%). Hepatomegaly 205 (78.8%) was the most common sign. On ultrasound scan, lesions were mostly multifocal 175 (67.3%), and the median FibroScan score was 75 kPa. The median fibrosis 4 and aspartate transferase platelet ratio index were 4.6 and 2.2, respectively. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was positive in 170 (65.4%) patients, and the median AFP level was 3263 ng/ml. HCC patients with positive HBsAg were more likely to be male 145 (85.3%) vs 62 (72.1%) (p = 0.011), much younger 39.9 vs 51.4 yrs (p =  < 0.0001), more likely to have abdominal pain 156 (91.8%) vs 68 (79.1%) (p = 0.002), jaundice 78 (45.9%) vs 29 (33.7%) (p = 0.042), dark urine 117 (68.8%) vs 46 (53.5%) (p = 0.018), raised transaminases (Aspartate transaminases 224.5 (32-7886) vs 153 (18-610), p =  < 0.01, Alanine transferases 71 (5-937) vs 47 (8-271), p =  < 0.001) and decreased platelet count 207 (33-941) vs 252 (52- 641) (p = 0.021) compared to patients with HCC who were HBsAg-negative.The prognosis of patients with HCC is poor in developing countries such as The Gambia, where screening programs and treatment modalities are scarce. Young males are disproportionately affected, and HBV is a major cause of HCC in The Gambia.© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.