title: Astrocyte elevated gene-1 overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma: an independent prognostic factor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) plays important roles in tumorigenesis such as proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance. We examined the expression of AEG-1 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-five samples were collected from patients with HCC who underwent surgery and were histopathologically confirmed to have HCC. Two independent pathologists, experienced in evaluating immunohistochemistry and blinded to the clinical outcomes of the patients, reviewed all samples. They determined AEG-1 expression semiquantitatively by assessing the percentage of positively stained immunoreactive cells and staining intensity. Clinicopathological data were analyzed in association with prognosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The association was estimated by univariate and multivariate analyses with Cox regression. Tumor size (hazard ratio [HR], 2.285; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.175-4.447; P = 0.015), microvascular invasion (HR, 6.754; 95% CI, 1.631-27.965; P = 0.008), and AEG-1 expression (HR, 4.756; 95% CI, 1.697-13.329; P = 0.003) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Those for disease-free survival rate were tumor size (HR, 2.245; 95% CI, 1.282-3.933; P = 0.005) and AEG-1 expression (HR, 1.916; 95% CI, 1.035-3.545; P = 0.038). The cumulative 5-year survival and recurrence rates were 89.2% and 50.0% in the low-expressing group and 24.5% and 82.4% in the high-expressing group, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that AEG-1 overexpression could serve as a valuable prognostic marker in patients with HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hae Il
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Taesung
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Science Research Institute, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyungjoo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Susie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Science Research Institute, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Dongjun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyon Doek
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Moon Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Moo-Jun
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Baek
keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Human MTDH protein; Neoplasm metastasis