title: Oncogenic Wnt3a expression as an estimable prognostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate member 3a of Wingless-type MMTV integration site family (Wnt3a) expression in cancerous and surrounding tissues and the relationship between clinicopathologic features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and Wnt3a expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wnt3a expression and cellular distribution and clinicopathologic characteristics in cancerous tissue and matched surrounding tissues were analyzed in 80 HCC patients from January 2006 to August 2008 by tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry. The overall and disease-free survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test. The prognostic analysis was carried out with univariate and multivariate Cox regressions models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of oncogenic Wnt3a expression in the cancerous group was up to 96.25% (77 of 80), which was significantly higher (χ(2) = 48.818, P < 0.001) than that in the surrounding group (46.25%, 37 of 80). Brown Wnt3a staining gradually increased with clinical staging that showed very strong staining in advanced HCC. The clinicopathologic features of high Wnt3a expression in HCC were related to poorly-differentiated grade (χ(2) = 20.211, P < 0.001), liver cirrhosis (χ(2) = 8.467, P < 0.004), hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (χ(2) = 12.957, P < 0.001), higher tumor-node-metastasis stage (χ(2) = 22.960, P < 0.001), and 5-year survival rate (χ(2) = 15.469, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oncogenic Wnt3a expression associated with HBV infection and cirrhotic liver might be an independent prognostic factor for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Liu-Hong Pan, Deng-Fu Yao, Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Liu-Hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Liu-Hong Pan, Deng-Fu Yao, Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Liu-Hong Pan, Deng-Fu Yao, Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Liu-Hong Pan, Deng-Fu Yao, Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Juan-Juan
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Liu-Hong Pan, Deng-Fu Yao, Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Xu-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Liu-Hong Pan, Deng-Fu Yao, Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Liu-Hong Pan, Deng-Fu Yao, Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Deng-Fu
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation; D060509:Wnt3A Protein / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C555510:WNT3A protein, human; D060509:Wnt3A Protein
keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Immunohistochemistry; Prognosis; Tissue microarrays; Wnt/β-catenin signal; Wnt3a