title: [Expression and prognostic value of galectin-9 in hepatocellular carcinoma patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the prognostic value of galectin-9 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Galectin-9 was validated by immunohistochemisty in tissue microarrays from HCC patients (n = 147) and statistically assessed for the prognosis. The serum levels of galectin-9 from another independent cohort including HCC patients (n = 31) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with a lower expression of galectin-9 had significantly worse prognosis than those with a higher expression. The serum level of galectin-9 of HCC patients (8.36 ± 2.12) µg/L was significantly lower than that in healthy (4.62 ± 1.59 )µg/L and liver cirrhosis controls (5.11 ± 1.92 )µg/L (P < 0.05). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that galectin-9 was an independent marker for predicting a poor prognosis of HCC patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Involved in the poor prognosis of HCC patients, galectin-9 may be a new predictor of recurrence for HCC patients and serve as a high-priority therapeutic target.
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China.
authors.forename: Chang-jiang
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chen-yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Qi-chao
authors.initials: QC
authors.lastname: Ni
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D037161:Galectins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D037161:Galectins; C105032:LGALS9 protein, human