BACKGROUND/AIMS: p53 mutation is the most common genetic abnormality in human cancers. However, although it has been reported that p53 overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with the aggressive behavior of tumor, the prognostic significance of p53 overexpression in HCC remains controversial. The aims of the present study were to examine the correlations between p53 overexpression and the clinicopathologic parameters of HCCs, and to determine the prognostic significance of p53 overexpression in HCC. METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis of p53 overexpression was performed in 105 consecutive cases of HCC who underwent curative hepatic resection. Survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate analysis of outcome predictors for HCCs was assessed by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: p53 overexpression was observed in 20 of 105 HCCs (19.0%). Multivariate analysis identified significant correlations between p53 overexpression and microvascular invasion (p=0.027), liver cirrhosis (p=0.035), 1-year survival rate (p=0.016), multiple tumors (p=0.014), and the presence of tumor capsule (p=0.010). The 2-year survival rate was poorer in patients without tumor capsule (p=0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show a positive association between p53 overexpression and microvascular invasion in HCC, and indicate that p53 overexpression is a poor prognostic factor of survival, especially within 1 year after liver resection in HCC patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*metabolism/mortality/surgery ; Female ; *Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*metabolism/mortality/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/*metabolism

BACKGROUNDLoss of carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) expression is an adverse prognostic factor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of CEACAM1 and its effect on relapse-free survival (RFS) following liver transplantation (LT) for HCC.

METHODSExpression of CEACAM1 was immunohistochemically detected in HCC specimens from 48 patients. The relationship between CEACAM1 expression and clinicopathologic variables, as well as tumor recurrence, was further analyzed.

RESULTSOf the 48 HCC specimens, membranous CEACAM1 expression was detected in 25 specimens and cytoplasmic CEACAM1 expression was detected in 19 specimens. Four specimens had loss of CEACAM1 expression. Loss of membranous CEACAM1 expression was significantly associated with tumor size, tumor number, and serum α-fetoprotein levels (all P < 0.05). Patients with loss of membranous CEACAM1 had significantly poorer RFS than patients with membranous expression, determined via Kaplan-Meier analysis (P = 0.027). Multivariate analysis revealed that loss of membranous CEACAM1 expression might be an independent prognostic factor of RFS for HCC patients after liver transplantation (P = 0.037).

CONCLUSIONLoss of membranous CEACAM1 expression in HCC was closely associated with aggressive tumor biology and might be a relapsing biomarker of HCC treated with LT.

Adult ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; mortality ; surgery ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; mortality ; surgery ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression and clinical impact of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSNinety specimens obtained from HCC patients were examined immunohistochemically using anti-VEGF and anti-MMP-2 monoclonal antibodies.

RESULTSThe positive rates of VEGF and MMP-2 expression in HCC tissues were 76.7% and 60%, respectively. The expression of MMP-2 in HCC tissues was positively correlated with the expression of VEGF (r(s) = 0.32) and both were positively correlated with recurrence (or metastasis) after hepatectomy (r(s) = 0.31, r(s) = 0.32). 2-year tumor-free survival rates of VEGF- group, VEGF+ group and VEGF++ group were 71.4%, 43.5%, 30.4%, respectively, (P < 0.01), while MMP-2- group 66.7% and MMP-2+ group 32.8% (P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that the expression of VEGF and MMP-2 in HCC tissues, tumor microthrombus and pre-operative dissemination to lymph nodes were independent recurrence (or metastasis) risk factors.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of VEGF and MMP-2 in HCC tissues, and clinicopathological features (tumor microthrombus and pre-operative dissemination to lymph nodes), could be regarded as valuable indicators for prediction of recurrence (or metastasis) risk in HCC patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; mortality ; surgery ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; mortality ; surgery ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Survival Rate ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism