Abstract
BackgroundAlthough recent studies have shown the utility of miR-203 as a cancer-relevant biomarker, the validated clinical significance of miR-203 in HCC remains obscure. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between miR-203 expression and clinicopathological features in HCC patients.MethodsMiR-203 expression in 95 formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) HCC tissues and their paired adjacent non-cancerous tissues was evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Simultaneously, expression of miR-203 and its correlation with a variety of clinicopathological parameters and patient recurrence was analyzed.ResultsThe relative level of miR-203 was 1.1651 ± 0.70378 in HCC tissues, significantly lower than its expression in the corresponding adjacent non-cancerous liver tissues (2.2408 ± 0.75351, P < 0.001). The area under curve (AUC) of low miR-203 expression to diagnose HCC was 0.85 (95 % CI: 0.796 ~ 0.904, P = 0.027) at a cut-off value 1.99 evaluated by the median expression of miR-203 in all tissues, including HCC and normal liver tissues. Expression of miR-203 was negatively correlated to metastasis (r = −0.254, P = 0.013), clinical tumor nodes metastasis (TNM) stage (r = −0.300, P = 0.003), nm23 expression (r = −0.292, P = 0.004), p21 expression (r = −0.223, P = 0.030), microvessel density (MVD)(r = −0.206, P = 0.045) and was positively correlated to cirrhosis (r = 0.487, P < 0.001). Additionally, the recurrent time of lower miR-203 expression group was 57.949 ± 4.184 months, slightly longer than that in the high expression group (54.682 ± 2.591 months), however, no significant difference was noted (Chi-square = 0.206, P = 0.650).ConclusionsMiR-203 plays a vital role in the carcinogenesis and progression of HCC, which makes itself as a predictor for the deterioration of HCC. Furthermore, miR-203 may become a new target for molecular therapy in HCC.
Highlights
Recent studies have shown the utility of miR-203 as a cancer-relevant biomarker, the validated clinical significance of miR-203 in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains obscure
Studies have shown that HCC resulted in 650,000 or more deaths per year all over the world, among which, three quarters occurred in East Asian countries [4, 5]
Multiple etiological factors contribute to the carcinogenesis and progression of HCC, for instance, infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) and long-term exposure to some chemical agents [6,7,8,9]
Summary
Recent studies have shown the utility of miR-203 as a cancer-relevant biomarker, the validated clinical significance of miR-203 in HCC remains obscure. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between miR-203 expression and clinicopathological features in HCC patients. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with a 5-year survival rate of only 9 %, is the fifth most frequent malignancy and the third most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide [1,2,3]. The incidence of HCC is higher in male compared to the female. Over 80 % of HCC patients occur in East Asia and sub-Saharan. Studies have shown that HCC resulted in 650,000 or more deaths per year all over the world, among which, three quarters occurred in East Asian countries [4, 5].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
