Molecular markers as a prognostic system for hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

The gene expression profile p16, c-erbB-3 and bcl2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with and without associated HCV infection, was assessed. Forty-eight subjects were included in the study and divided equally into two groups: HCC with and without HCV associated infection. Adjacent paracancerous tissues were assessed as control samples. Correlations with various clinico-pathological parameters of the tumour were assessed: stage, grade, and tumour size. The c-erbB-3 oncogene was expressed in 83.33% (40/48) of the total HCC sample and in 31.25% (15/48) of the noncancerous lesions. C-erbB-3 was expressed in 87.5% (21/24) of the HCC cases with associated HCV infection and in 79.16% (19/24) of the HCC cases without associated HCV infection. Gene expression of c-erbB-3 was significantly correlated with the clinico-pathological parameters of the tumour. P16 gene expression was found in 12.5% (6/48) of the total HCC sample and in 25% (12/48) of the para-cancerous lesions. P16 was expressed in 12.5% (3/24) of HCC cases with and without associated HCV infection. Gene expression of p16 exhibited significant negative correlation with clinico-pathological parameters of the tumour. Bcl2 gene expression was found in 20.8% (10/48) of the total HCC sample and in the para-cancerous lesions. Bcl2 was expressed in 20.8% (5/24) of the HCC cases with and without HCV associated infection. Gene expression of bcl2 did not show significant correlations with the clinico-pathological parameters of the tumour. In conclusion, gene expression profiles of p16 and c-erbB-3 could be used as prognostic molecular markers in HCC.

Keywords

• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• p16
• Bcl2
• c-erbB-3