Roles of the glucocorticoid receptor in resectable hepatocellular carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) was discovered in the cytosol of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells more than 10 years ago. However, the influence of the GR on the prognosis of HCC after liver resection remains unclear.


METHODS
Ninety-two consecutive patients with HCC who survived liver resection and who did not receive any preoperative neoadjuvant therapy were enrolled in this study. The GR level in cytosol of cancerous tissue was determined by the dextran-coated charcoal method. The clinicopathologic characteristics and long-term prognosis of patients with GR-positive tumors (GR-positive group) were compared with those of patients with GR-negative tumors (GR-negative group).


RESULTS
GR was found in 63 patients (68.5%) with a mean +/- SEM concentration of 26.97 +/- 4.05 fmol/g protein. There were no significant differences in patient clinicopathologic characteristics between GR-positive and GR-negative groups. The 5-year disease-free and actuarial survival rates for GR-positive and GR-negative groups were 21.6% and 44.4% (P =.002) and 57.2% and 83.3% (P =.0003), respectively. After multivariate analysis was performed, GR positivity was found to be an independent prognostic factor of disease-free and actuarial survival after liver resection for HCC.


CONCLUSIONS
The GR can be found in the cytosol of most HCCs and is an independent prognostic factor of HCC after liver resection. Patients with GR-positive HCC have lower survival rates than those with GR-negative HCC.
Ho
William-Lin
WL
Department of Surgery and Pathology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Chung-Shan Medical College, Taichung, Taiwan.
Wu
Cheng-Chung
CC
Yeh
Dah-Cherng
DC
Chen
Jung-Ta
JT
Huang
Chu-Chun
CC
Lin
Yi-Ling
YL
Liu
Tse-Jia
TJ
P'eng
Fang-Ku
FK
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*
D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid