Expression of the HCRP1 mRNA in HCC as an independent predictor of disease-free survival after surgical resection.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-related protein-1 (HCRP1) gene was located at chromosome 8p22, a frequently deleted region in HCC. The gene product was a subunit of mammalian Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT)-I, essential for degradation of epidermal growth factor receptors. In this study, we examined the prognostic role of HCRP1 mRNA expression in HCC.


METHODS
The expression of HCRP1 mRNA in HCC was assessed in 125 patients receiving surgical resection of HCC. Using the adjacent non-cancerous tissues as a reference, 55 and 70 patients expressing high and low levels of HCRP1 mRNA, respectively, were identified. The predictive value of HCRP1 mRNA expression in postoperative survival was evaluated.


RESULTS
Expression of HCRP1 mRNA was not associated with any of the baseline clinicopathological parameters. However, univariate analysis showed that it was associated with a better disease-free survival (P < 0.001) and overall survival (P = 0.032). Stepwise Cox multivariate proportional hazards regression analysis showed that the expression of HCRP1 mRNA (hazard ratio [HR], 0.396; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.233-0.674; P = 0.001), tumor number (HR, 1.596; 95% CI, 1.221-2.087; P = 0.001), serum aspartate aminotransferase (HR, 1.002; 95% CI, 1.000-1.003; P = 0.031) and the presence of microvascular invasion (HR, 1.852; 95% CI, 1.131-3.032; P = 0.014) were included as independent predictors for disease-free survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Expression of HCRP1 mRNA served as an independent predictor for postoperative disease-free survival in HCC patients.
Lai
Ming-Wei
MW
Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Huang
Shiu-Feng
SF
Lin
Shi-Ming
SM
Chen
Tse-Ching
TC
Lin
Chun-Yen
CY
Yeh
Chun-Nan
CN
Yeh
Ta-Sen
TS
Chen
Miin-Fu
MF
Yeh
Chau-Ting
CT