Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant global health concern with a high
mortality rate. To date, the most effective therapy for HCC is resection at an early
tumor stage. However, tumor recurrence is common, and identifying key molecules
facilitates the understanding of the pathogenesis of HCC and the prediction of
prognosis to provide novel targets for anticancer therapy.
Aim
This study evaluated the expression of p53, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and
epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in HCC and investigated their correlation
with clinicopathological features and prognosis.
Methods
An Immunohistochemical analysis of p53, COX-2, and EpCAM was conducted on
selected 51 HCC cases and adjacent noncancerous hepatic tissue.
Results
In the current study, p53, COX-2, and EpCAM expression were significantly
higher in HCC cases than in the adjacent nontumor tissue (P=0.05, P=0.03,
and P=0.041, respectively). P53, COX-2, and EpCAM were significantly
overexpressed among patients with advanced stage (P=0.039, P=0.000, and
P=0.016, respectively), large tumor size (P=0.004 and P=0.001) and poor disease-
free survival (P=0.036, P=0.001, and P=0.000, respectively). P53 and EpCAM
were significantly correlated with vascular invasion (P=0.045 and P=0.032)
and higher grade (P=0.019 and P=0.033). While COX-2 was associated with
well-differentiated HCC cases. There was no statistically significant correlation
between p53 and COX-2 or, EpCAM, while COX-2 was directly correlated with
EpCAM (r=0.001).
Conclusion
p53, COX-2, and EpCAM might have an important role in early carcinogenesis,
progression of HCC, and poor prognosis, suggesting that the inhibition of
these proteins may hold potential as a multitarget therapeutic approach in HCC
patients. |
