title: Expression of E-cadherin and vascular endothelial growth factor in noncancerous liver is associated with recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after curative resection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) frequently recurs even after curative resection. The purpose of this study was to examine how background liver affects postoperative recurrence of HCC that underwent curative resection using expression of cancer-related molecules in the adjacent noncancerous liver of HCC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined expression of E-cadherin and vascular endothelial growth factor in noncancerous liver tissues of 133 HCC patients who underwent curative resection of tumors using immunohistochemical analysis. Associations between expressions of these molecules and disease-free survival of HCC were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average period of follow-up of the patients was 6.7 years. Multivariate analyses revealed that low platelet count and negative expression of E-cadherin in adjacent noncancerous liver were significantly associated with metastatic recurrence [p = 0.017, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.31 for low platelet count, and p = 0.009, HR = 1.43 for negative expression of E-cadherin, respectively].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Expression levels of E-cadherin in adjacent noncancerous liver after surgical resection was associated with metastatic HCC recurrence later on. Analysis of E-cadherin expression should provide important information for predicting recurrence after curative resection of HCC.
authors: Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Mutsuko
authors: M
authors: Minata
authors: Masatoshi
authors: M
authors: Kudo
authors: Kouji H
authors: KH
authors: Harada
authors: Iwao
authors: I
authors: Ikai
authors: Naoshi
authors: N
authors: Nishida
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism*; D010976:Platelet Count; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A