Genetic variants in the EPCAM gene is associated with the prognosis of transarterial chemoembolization treated hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus.
The epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EPCAM) is involved in the tumorigenesis and progression of many malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of EPCAM have been reported to be with the risk and prognosis of several malignancies. However, the association of SNPs in EPCAM gene with the prognosis of HCC patients has never been investigated. In this study, two functional SNPs (rs1126497 and rs1421) in the EPCAM gene were selected and genotyped in a cohort of 448 unresectable Chinese HCC patients treated by TACE. The association of the two SNPs with the overall survival (OS) of patients was assessed by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meier curve. Our data showed that there was no significant association between either SNP and OS of patients. However, in the stratified analysis, the variant-containing genotypes (WV+VV) of SNP rs1126497 exhibited a significant association with poorer OS in HCC patients who had portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) in multivariate analysis of Cox proportional hazard model (hazard ratio, 1.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-2.53, P = 0.007), and in Kaplan-Meier curve analysis (P = 0.023), comparing to those carrying wild-type genotype. Our results suggest that SNP rs1126497 in the EPCAM gene may serve as an independent prognosis biomarker for unresectable HCC patient with PVTT, which warranted further validating investigation.
Department of Radioactive Intervention, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Xiaohe
X
Yu
Department of Radioactive Intervention, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Naijian
N
Ge
State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Cell Engineering Research Center and Department of Cell Biology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Xu
X
Guo
Department of Radioactive Intervention, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Shuqun
S
Shen
Department of Radioactive Intervention, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Jun
J
Liang
Experimental Teaching Center of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Xiaojun
X
Huang
Pharmaceutical College, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, China.
Shaogui
S
Wan
Experimental Teaching Center of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Jingliang
J
Xing
Experimental Teaching Center of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Qichao
Q
Huang
Department of Radioactive Intervention, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Yefa
Y
Yang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C499379:EPCAM protein, human; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule