title: High circulating microRNA-122 expression is a poor prognostic marker in patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma who undergo radiofrequency ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic potential of plasma microRNA-122 levels in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatic resection or radiofrequency ablation (RFA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 120 patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent hepatic resection (n=63) or RFA (n=57) were included. The pretreatment plasma microRNA-122 level was assessed using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction, and the correlation between microRNA-122 expression and various clinical parameters was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that, in all patients, a low platelet count (<100×10(9)/L), low albumin level (≤3.5g/dL.), and advanced tumor stage (modified Union for International Cancer Control stage III/IV) were independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival, while a low albumin level and advanced tumor stage were independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). In a subgroup analysis of patients who underwent RFA, the patients with high miR-122 expression (>100) had significantly lower OS on Kaplan-Meier analysis (P=0.042). Furthermore, high microRNA-122 expression (hazard ratio [HR]=2.67; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.12-6.35; P=0.026) and advanced tumor stage (HR=2.27; 95% CI=1.23-4.18; P=0.009) were independent risk factors for poor OS in patients treated with RFA. The combination of microRNA-122 and tumor stage resulted in an area under the curve of 0.818 for predicting 1-year OS in patients who underwent RFA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High plasma microRNA-122 expression was associated with poor OS in patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent RFA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jai Keun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Human genome research & Bio-resource center, Ajou University Medical Center, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jei Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Bong Wan
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Soon Sun
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Choong Kyun
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kee Myung
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea. Electronic address: jaeyoun620@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jae Youn
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cheong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C531907:MIRN122 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; MicroRNA-122; Prognosis; Radiofrequency ablation