title: A Circulating MicroRNA Signature Capable of Assessing the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Cirrhotic Patients.
abstract: With the availability of potent antiviral therapies, complete suppression of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication and total eradication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) can now be achieved. Despite these advances, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) still develops in a substantial proportion of cirrhotic patients, suggesting that host factors remain critical. Dysregulation of miRNAs is noted in many cancers, and circulating miRNAs can be readily assayed. In this study, we aimed to develop a circulating miRNA signature to assess the risk of HCC in cirrhotic patients. We first discovered that HBV- and HCV-related cirrhotic patients had distinguishable circulating miRNA profiles. A cohort of 330 cirrhotic patients was then compared against a cohort of 42 early HCC patients with complete remission. A score comprising 5 miRNAs and a binary etiology variable was established that was capable of differentiating between these two groups (AUC = 72.5%, P < 0.001). The 330 cirrhotic patients were further stratified into high- and low-risk groups, and all patients were longitudinally followed for 752 (11-891) days. Of them, 19 patients developed HCC. The high-risk group had significantly higher cumulative HCC incidence (P = 0.038). In summary, a circulating miRNA-based score was developed that is capable of assessing HCC risks in cirrhotic patients.
authors.affiliation: Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ya-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kung-Hao
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Liver Research Unit, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Rong-Nan
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsung-Hui
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kwang-Huei
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chao-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Liver Research Unit, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Lang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Research Center of Industry of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tai-Long
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.affiliation: Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan. chautingy@gmail.com.|College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. chautingy@gmail.com.|Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. chautingy@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chau-Ting
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Yeh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D000074166:Circulating MicroRNA; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000074166:Circulating MicroRNA