Expression of HIF-2α/EPAS1 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 2 Correlation between VEGF protein and clinicopathological features of HCC patients

Variants	NO of cases 97	VEGF expression			Significance
		-	+	++
Pathological grade
Grade I	6	6	0	0	NS
Grade II	76	28	22	26
Grade III-IV	15	8	3	4
Tumor size
2	13	11	0	2	NS
2-5	49	16	14	19
> 5	35	15	11	9
Cirrhosis
With	53	20	10	23	NS
Without	44	22	15	7
Capsule formation
With	18	7	5	6	NS
Without	79	35	20	24
Capsule infiltration
With	16	4	2	10	0.011a
Without	81	38	23	20
Portal vein infiltration
With	48	14	16	18	0.020a
Without	49	20	9	12
Necrosis
With	54	15	17	22	0.011a
Without	43	27	8	8

^aP < 0.05 vs the expression of VEGF was significant in HCC with capsule infiltration, portal vein invasion, and with necrosis. NS, not significant.