Abstract
BackgroundSuppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 1 and 3 methylation have been associated with clinical features and outcomes of cancer patients. However, their roles in determining the treatment response to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown.ResultsWe found that presence of SOCS3 methylation is significantly associated with the major clinical features of HCC patients, including tumor stage, lymph node and vascular invasion. Of note, we observed that the presence of SOCS3 methylation is closely related to TACE response. In prognosis analyses, HCC patients with SOCS3 methylation presence have a poorer prognosis indicated by lower 3-, and 5-year survival rates and shorter mean survival period, than those without. Multivariate COX analysis confirms the prognostic role of the presence of SOCS3 methylation in HCC patients receiving TACE treatment.Materials and MethodsA total of 246 HCC patients receiving TACE were enrolled in this study. Tumor samples was obtained from echo-guided fine needle aspiration and genomic DNA from tumor samples was purified. SOCS1 and SOCS3 methylation status were detected using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. The treatment responses to TACE of patients were evaluated after procedure and all patients were followed for prognosis analysis.ConclusionsThis finding suggests that the presence of SOCS3 methylation is a marker to predict treatment response and prognosis in HCC patients receiving TACE therapy.
Highlights
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent cancers worldwide
This finding suggests that the presence of SOCS3 methylation is a marker to predict treatment response and prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy
We found a close relation between SOCS3 methylation status and TACE treatment response, as well as survival of HCC patients, suggesting SOCS3 methylation status can be used as a marker to predict the TACE treatment response and prognosis of HCC patients
Summary
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent cancers worldwide. Despite of the recent progress in diagnosis and treatment, the clinical outcome of HCC patients remains very poor [1,2,3]. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a new technique of intra-arterial catheter-based chemotherapy that selectively delivers cytotoxic drug to the tumor bed combining with arterial embolization. For these patients not eligible for surgical treatment, TACE is currently considered as part of standard therapy [4, 5]. Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 1 and 3 methylation have been associated with clinical features and outcomes of cancer patients. Their roles in determining the treatment response to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown
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