title: Expression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule associated with elevated ductular reactions in hepatocellar carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prognostic significance of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) expression in HCC, the relationship between EpCAM with ductular reactions and other clinical features.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 2001 to 2003, 106 HCC patients who underwent curative resection in Eastern Hepatobiliary Hospital were enrolled. The expression of EpCAM in tumoral tissues and ductular reactions in paired non-tumoral tissues was assessed by immunohistochemistry. EpCAM was evaluated with prognosis, ductular reactions and other clinical variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HCC expressing high level of EpCAM showed more aggressively than usual progressed HCC. High EpCAM expression was associated with poor overall survival and recurrence free survival. (P=0.0005, 0.0019, respectively). A close association was found between tumoral EpCAM expression and peritumoral ductular reactions. Patients with high level of ductular reactions tended to have higher EpCAM expression than those with low level (P=0.016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCC stratification by EpCAM may reflect different prognosis. EpCAM expression correlated with ductular reactions may be a result of unregulated activation and differentiation blockage of progenitor cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, the Suzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou 215001, China; Tumor Immunology and Gene Therapy Center, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors.forename: Minhui
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Tumor Immunology and Gene Therapy Center, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China; Department of Gastrointestinal surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, China.
authors.forename: Guangyang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Treatment and Liver Transplantation, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Treatment and Liver Transplantation, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors.forename: Changying
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Treatment and Liver Transplantation, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Treatment and Liver Transplantation, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors.forename: Lihan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Treatment and Liver Transplantation, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Tumor Immunology and Gene Therapy Center, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors.forename: Lixin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Treatment and Liver Transplantation, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China. Electronic address: jiameiyang@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jiamei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule