2020 Volume 66 Issue 4 Pages 346-353
Objective: Recently, there has been a worldwide increase in non-B and non-C hepatocellular carcinoma (NBNC-HCC), which are negative for both markers of hepatitis B and C virus infection. Here, we investigated the role of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a negative regulator of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase pathway in the development of NBNC-HCC.
Materials: A total of 14 patients who received hepatectomy because of NBNC-HCC (NBNC group) were analyzed retrospectively. Nine patients who underwent hepatectomy for liver metastasis of colorectal cancer, were analyzed as the control.
Methods: Expression of PTEN and p62, which is a marker of autophagic degradation, was evaluated in background liver, peritumoral region, and tumor by immunohistochemical analysis. Recurrence rate up to 7 years post-surgery was evaluated.
Results: The expression of PTEN in the NBNC group was significantly decreased in all regions compared to the control, and it was notably reduced in the tumor. In contrast, the expression of P62 in the tumor of patients of the NBNC group was significantly increased. Recurrence rate at 7 years in NBNC group reached 85%, and recurrence time post-surgery was significantly longer in survivors with strong expression of PTEN in the peritumoral region.
Conclusions: These findings indicate that the expression of PTEN decreases in NBNC chronic liver injury, which is possibly related to inhibition of autophagy as a trigger of carcinogenesis and the intrahepatic recurrence of NBNC-HCC.
