Methylation of IRAK3 is a novel prognostic marker in hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 4 Association between gene methylation and clinicopathological characteristics of 160 hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Methylation status	IRAK3, M-Index		P value	GLOXD1, M-Index		P value
Characteristic	≤8.90	> 8.90		≤0.60	> 0.60
Cases	58	102		85	75
Age, yr
≤ 59	27	47	1.00	45	29	0.08
> 59	31	55		40	46
Gender
Female	25	41	0.74	39	27	0.26
Male	33	61		46	48
Hepatitis
HBV-positive	21	47	0.32	38	30	0.22
HCV-positive	23	39		28	34
Double-negative	14	16		19	11
Cirrhosis
No	33	44	0.07	46	31	0.15
Yes	23	57		38	42
Unknown	2	1		1	2
Tumor size, cm
≤ 3	16	36	0.38	25	27	0.40
> 3	42	66		60	48
Nodule
Solitary	37	61	0.74	53	45	0.87
Multiple	21	41		32	30
AFP level, ng/mL
≤ 10	14	31	0.58	20	25	0.16
> 10	42	71		65	48
Unknown	2	0		0	2
Stage
I	22	38	0.03	28	32	0.66
II	23	23		26	20
III	13	34		27	20
IV	0	7		4	3
Invasion
No	30	55	0.87	39	46	0.06
Yes	28	47		46	29
Recurrence
No	22	36	0.38	34	24	0.83
Yes	10	25		19	16
Unknown	26	41		32	35
Survival
No	25	46	0.47	38	33	0.26
Yes	7	20		18	9
Unknown	26	36		29	33

HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein.