Overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 in noncancerous liver tissue increases the postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis

• Published in: Canadian journal of gastroenterology Vol. 24; no. 7; pp. 435 - 440
• Main Authors: He, Yi-Fu, Jin, Juan, Wei, Wei, Chang, Yan, Hu, Bing, Ji, Chu-Shu, Jia, Wei-Dong, Wang, Xiao-Qiu, Chen, Ke, Chen, Jian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada Pulsus Group Inc 01-07-2010; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - enzymology; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - surgery; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - virology; Chi-Square Distribution; Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism; Female; Hepatectomy; Hepatitis B - complications; Hepatitis B - enzymology; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Liver Cirrhosis - enzymology; Liver Cirrhosis - virology; Liver Function Tests; Liver Neoplasms - enzymology; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Liver Neoplasms - virology; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Original; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Proportional Hazards Models; Risk Factors; Survival Rate
• ISSN: 0835-7900
• DOI: 10.1155/2010/872570

Many previous studies have evaluated the histopathological features of tumours as risk factors for postoperative recurrence in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there have been few large studies investigating the relationship between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in noncancerous regions of the liver and postoperative recurrence in the remnant liver, especially in HBV-related HCC.
To evaluate the significance of COX-2 expression levels in noncancerous liver regions as a prognostic indicator of HCC in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis.
A total of 124 patients who underwent curative resection for HCC were reviewed retrospectively. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of COX-2 in noncancerous liver tissue. Clinicopathological variables were compared between patients with high COX-2 expression (n=58 [COX-2-positive group]) and patients with low COX-2 expression (n=66; [COX-2-negative group]). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors that affected disease recurrence.
There was a significant correlation between COX-2 expression and alanine aminotransferase levels and vascular invasion. The recurrence-free survival rates in the COX-2-positive group were significantly lower than the rates in the COX-2-negative group. On multivariate analysis, the overexpression of COX-2 in noncancerous liver regions was found to be an unfavourable prognostic indicator for the recurrence of HCC.
The results of the current study suggest that overexpression of COX-2 in noncancerous liver regions is an independent and significant indicator predictive of early recurrence of HCC in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis.