DEC1 nuclear expression: A marker of differentiation grade in hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 2 Correlation between nuclear differentiated embryo chondrocyte 1 protein expression and clinicopathologic features of hepatocellular carcinoma

Clinicopathologic features	n	Nuclear DEC1 protein expression		P value
		Negative	Positive
Sex
Male	52	23	29	0.8861
Female	11	4	7
Age (yr)
< 56	31	15	16	0.383
≥ 56	32	12	20
Tumor size (cm)
≤ 5	28	11	17	0.571
> 5	30	14	16
Pathological grade
Grade (I)	18	1	17	0.000
Grade (II-III)	45	26	19
Venous infiltration
Absent	9	2	7	0.0702
Present	10	7	3
No. tumor nodules
< 3	49	22	27	0.7811
≥ 3	9	3	6
Hepatitis B virus infection
Yes	51	22	29	0.8421
No	3	2	1
Cirrhosis
Yes	47	21	26	0.616
No	16	6	10
α-fetoprotein level (ng/mL)
> 20	40	18	22	0.713
≤ 20	20	8	12

¹Corrected χ² analysis;

²Fisher’s exact test.