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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Association of preoperative EpCAM Circulating Tumor Cells and peripheral Treg cell levels with early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma following radical hepatic resection

Authors: Yan Zhou, Beili Wang, Jiong Wu, Chunyan Zhang, Yiwen Zhou, XinRong Yang, Jian Zhou, Wei Guo, Jia Fan

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

This study was carried out to determine the prognostic significance of preoperative peripheral epithelial cell adhesion molecule- positive (EpCAM +) circulating tumor cell (CTC) and T regulatory (Treg) cell levels in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients for the prediction of postoperative recurrence following curative resection.

Methods

A total of 49 patients about to undergo curative resection for HCC were recruited into the study. PCR and FACS were used to detect the preoperative levels of EpCAM mRNA+ CTCs and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells. The prognostic value of EpCAM mRNA+ CTCs, CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells, and other clinicopathological factors were analyzed by applying the Kaplan–Meier method and the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

The number of EpCAM mRNA+ CTCs and Treg/CD4+ cells showed significant correlation as prognostic factors of postoperative HCC recurrence: EpCAM mRNA+ CTC ≥ 2.22 (P = 0.001) and Treg/CD4+ ≥ 5.07 (P = 0.045), with EpCAM mRNA+ CTC ≥ 2.22 (P = 0.003, HR = 6.668) being the most important indicator. Patients with high CTC/Treg levels showed a significantly higher risk of developing postoperative HCC recurrence than those with low CTC/Treg levels (66.7 % vs. 10.3 %, P < 0.001). The high CTC/low Treg group also presented higher 1-year recurrence rates compared with the low CTC/low Treg level group (50.0 % vs. 10.3 %, P = 0.004).

Conclusions

Elevated EpCAM mRNA+ CTC and Treg/CD4+ levels were associated with early recurrence of HCC, indicative of poor clinical outcome. The combined detection of EpCAM mRNA+ CTC and Treg/CD4+ may therefore provide a novel prognostic predictor for HCC patients.
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Metadata
Title
Association of preoperative EpCAM Circulating Tumor Cells and peripheral Treg cell levels with early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma following radical hepatic resection
Authors
Yan Zhou
Beili Wang
Jiong Wu
Chunyan Zhang
Yiwen Zhou
XinRong Yang
Jian Zhou
Wei Guo
Jia Fan
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-016-2526-4

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