Overexpression of Cyclooxygenase-2 in Noncancerous Liver Tissue Increases the Postoperative Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Hepatitis B Virus-Related Cirrhosis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Many previous studies have evaluated the histopathological features of tumours as risk factors for postoperative recurrence in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there have been few large studies investigating the relationship between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in non-cancerous regions of the liver and postoperative recurrence in the remnant liver, especially in HBV-related HCC.