title: Serum SALL4 is a novel prognosis biomarker with tumor recurrence and poor survival of patients in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sal-like protein 4 (SALL4), is reexpressed in tissues of a subgroup of HCC associated with poor prognosis. Reports of SALL4 serological levels linked to HCC patients are meager and unclear in the prognosis of this malignancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry and optical microscopy protocols were used to examine the presence of SALL4 in liver tissues from the following patients: 38 HCC, 11 chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV), 13 liver cirrhosis, and 12 healthy controls. Additionally, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the SALL4 levels in serum samples isolated from patients as follows: 127 with HCC, 27 with HBV, 24 with liver cirrhosis, and 23 normal controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of liver tissues sections from HCC patients (18 out 38; 47.4%) showed positive staining for SALL4 and its expression did no correlate with any of the clinicopathologic characteristics. HCC patients displayed higher levels (50.4%) of SALL4 protein in serum, compared with the three control groups. Moreover, SALL4 concentration reached the maximum level after one week after treatment and dropped quickly after one month. These HCC patients showing high SALL4 serum levels had poor prognosis, evidenced by both tumor recurrence and overall survival rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High SALL4 serum levels are a novel biomarker in the prognosis of HCC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Su-xia
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Jun-lan
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Xi-jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Chen-chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Jin-lu
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C472575:SALL4 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors