The Prognostic Role of Β-Catenin Subcellular Localization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma of Egyptian Patients

Abstract

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in Egypt with fatal outcome. The molecular pathogenesis of this type of cancer is so complex involving interaction of several signaling pathways. Among those is Wingless (WNT)/β-catenin signaling pathway, which is frequently activated in HCC. Objectives: To investigate the relationship of different localization patterns of β-catenin in relation to different histopathologic parameters in Egyptian HCC cases. Patients and methods: One hundred and twenty-one (121) HCC specimens were subjected for β-catenin evaluation by immunohistochemistry. Results: The studied HCC cases showed β-catenin membranous expression in 47/121 (38.8%) of cases, while nucleocytoplasmic localization was observed in 31/121 (25.6%). Most of HCC cases that showed single tumor mass presentation exhibited negative nucleocytoplasmic expression pattern (79.2%, P=0.02). Membranous pool of β-catenin was associated with adverse prognostic factors like increased positivity among high-grade cases (P=0.04), higher H score value in cases having lymphovascular invasion, positive lymph node and higher (advanced) TMN stages (P = 0.01, 0.00, 0.00 &0.03 respectively). Conclusion: HCC cases showed heterogeneous β-catenin expression pattern. Membranous β-catenin localization was associated with aggressive prognostic parameters of HCC.