Osteopontin combined with CD44, a novel prognostic biomarker for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing curative resection.
BACKGROUND
Osteopontin (OPN) plays important roles in tumor progression and metastasis through binding to CD44 and integrin. The goal of this study was to elucidate the prognostic significance of OPN and CD44 in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.


METHODS
Tumor tissue microarray was used to detect the expression levels of OPN and CD44 in 302 hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing curative resection between 1997 and 2000 at our institute. Clinicopathologic data for these patients were investigated. The prognostic effects of OPN and CD44 were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. The Spearman rank test and Fisher's exact test were applied to demonstrate correlations.


RESULTS
Both OPN and CD44 were independent predictors for overall survival and disease-free survival. When OPN and CD44 were taken into consideration together, the predictive range was extended and the sensitivity was improved, especially for those patients with normal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels. The 8-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates in OPN+ and/or CD44+ patients were 28.2% and 25.6%, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of OPN-CD44- patients (52.1% and 51.6%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
OPN combined with CD44 is a promising independent predictor of tumor recurrence and survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
Yang
Guo-Huan
GH
Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People' Republic of China.
Fan
Jia
J
Xu
Yang
Y
Qiu
Shuang-Jian
SJ
Yang
Xin-Rong
XR
Shi
Guo-Ming
GM
Wu
Bing
B
Dai
Zhi
Z
Liu
Yin-Kun
YK
Tang
Zhao-You
ZY
Zhou
Jian
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D053495:Osteopontin