{
  "abstract": "5-Hydroxytryptamine and its receptor are involved in hepatocarcinogenesis. This study investigated the effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonists (5-HT3RAs) on the prognosis of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients with advanced HCC who received best supportive care were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) between 5-HT3RA users and nonusers was compared. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance variables. Factors associated with prognosis were identified by Cox regression. A total of 1141 patients with advanced HCC were included and 102 of them received 5-HT3RAs. 5-HT3RA treatment was significantly associated with reduced mortality [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.690; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.546–0.871; p = 0.002]. After 1:2 PSM (n = 89 and n = 161 in 5-HT3RA user and nonuser groups, respectively), 5-HT3RA treatment remained significantly associated with reduced mortality (HR = 0.615; 95% CI: 0.457–0.829; p = 0.001). Subgroup analysis of hepatitis B virus-associated HCC patients yielded similar findings. Subgroup analysis of 5-HT3RAs also yielded similar findings, showing that the 5-year OS was significantly higher in tropisetron users than nonusers (23.7% vs. 10.9%, p = 0.004) after PSM. The use of ondansetron (HR = 0.603; 95% CI: 0.365–0.995; p = 0.048) or tropisetron (HR = 0.477; 95% CI: 0.299–0.759; p = 0.002) was independent factor associated with improved prognosis after PSM. Taken together, this study shows that the use of 5-HT3RAs is associated with improved OS and the use of ondansetron or tropisetron was independently associated with a better prognosis in patients with advanced HCC, indicating a favorable effect of 5-HT3RAs on HCC patients.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China",
    "Department of Rehabilitation, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Xiaoge Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xiaoyun Wang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Na Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "Qunying Han"
    },
    {
      "name": "Zhengwen Liu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/530b8pfbh914d.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0359798",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "530b8pfbh914d",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359798",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2721|Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis"
    ],
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    [
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      "/Medicine and health sciences/Gastroenterology and hepatology/Liver diseases/Hepatocellular carcinoma"
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      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancer treatment"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancers and neoplasms/Carcinoma/Hepatocellular carcinoma"
    ],
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      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancers and neoplasms/Colorectal cancer"
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    [
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      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancers and neoplasms/Gastrointestinal tumors/Hepatocellular carcinoma"
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      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancers and neoplasms/Genitourinary tract tumors/Prostate cancer"
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      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancers and neoplasms/Lung and intrathoracic tumors"
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      "/Medicine and health sciences/Urology/Prostate diseases/Prostate cancer"
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  "openalex": "W7220909554",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0359798&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-08",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/530b8pfbh914d.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:30Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0359798",
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      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359798"
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:oncology",
      "subfield": "oncology"
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  "title": "Association of 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonists with prognosis in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A propensity score-matched study",
  "title_text": "Association of 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonists with prognosis in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A propensity score-matched study",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:30Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/530b8pfbh914d",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}