Observational Study
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 14, 2014; 20(46): 17541-17551
Published online Dec 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i46.17541
Table 1 Clinicopathological characteristics of the cases n (%)
Characteristicsn = 146
Age (yr)64.2 ± 10.1
36-6049 (33.6)
61-7051 (34.9)
71-8246 (31.5)
Gender
Male105 (72.0)
Female41 (28.0)
Viral infection
HBV32 (22.0)
HCV98 (67.1)
NonB nonC16 (10.9)
Child-Pugh classification
A139 (95.2)
B7 (4.8)
C0 (0)
Background liver tissue
Normal4 (2.8)
Chronic hepatitis56 (39.7)
Liver cirrhosis81 (57.5)
Tumor size (mm)27.3 ± 25.4
8-107 (4.8)
11-2078 (53.4)
21-3029 (19.9)
31-25032 (21.9)
Differentiation
Well33 (22.6)
Moderate93 (63.7)
Poor20 (13.7)
Pseudoglandular pattern
Absent97 (66.4)
Present49 (33.6)
Nuclear grade
Low116 (79.5)
High30 (20.5)
Fatty change
Absent121 (82.9)
Present25 (17.1)
Inflammation
Absent75 (51.4)
Present71 (48.6)
Fibrosis
Absent104 (71.2)
Present42 (28.8)
Cholestasis
Absent95 (65.0)
Present51 (35.0)
Tumor stage
165 (44.5)
261 (41.8)
316 (11.0)
44 (2.7)
L-FABP immunostaining
Negative16 (10.9)
Positive130 (89.1)
CK 7 immunostaining
Negative68 (46.6)
Positive78 (53.4)
CK 19 immunostaining
Negative136 (93.2)
Positive10 (6.8)
β-catenin immunostaining
Negative101 (69.2)
Positive45 (30.8)
GS immunostaining
Negative110 (75.3)
Positive36 (24.7)
SAA immunostaining
Negative136 (93.2)
Positive10 (6.8)
Table 2 Correlation between liver fatty acid-binding protein downregulation pattern and tumor size n (%)
Tumor2 cm n = 11Tumor > 2 cm n = 5P value
Focal downregulation (n = 10)9 (81.8)1 (20.0)0.036a
Diffuse downregulation (n = 6)2 (18.2)4 (80.0)
Table 3 Relation between liver fatty acid-binding protein expression and clinical features n (%)
CharacteristicsTumor size2 cm
P valueTumor size > 2 cm
P valueTotal
P value
L-FABP negative n = 11L-FABP positive n = 74L-FABP negative n = 5L-FABP positive n = 56L-FABP negative n = 16L-FABP positive n = 130
Age71.3 ± 7.663.4 ± 9.30.009b54.6 ± 10.864.8 ± 10.70.044a66.0 ± 11.564.0 ± 9.90.462
Gender0.7290.3200.771
Male7 (63.6)52 (70.3)5 (100)41 (73.2)12 (75.0)93 (71.5)
Female4 (36.4)22 (29.7)0 (0)15 (26.8)4 (25.0)37 (28.5)
Viral infection
HBV3 (27.3)16 (21.6)0.4652 (40.0)11 (19.6)0.2865 (31.3)27 (20.8)0.253
HCV7 (63.6)50 (67.6)0.7323 (60.0)38 (67.9)0.80610 (62.5)88 (67.7)0.761
NonB nonC1 (9.1)8 (10.8)0.6710 (0)7 (12.5)0.5311 (6.2)15 (11.5)0.451
Child-Pugh classification0.4990.5400.343
A11 (100)71 (95.9)5 (100)52 (92.9)16 (100)123 (94.6)
B0 (0)3 (4.1)0 (0)4 (7.1)0 (0)7 (5.4)
C0 (0)0 (0)0 (0)0 (0)0 (0)0 (0)
Table 4 Relation between liver fatty acid-binding protein expression and pathological features n (%)
CharacteristicsTumor size2 cm
P valueTumor size > 2 cm
P valueTotal
P value
L-FABP negative n = 11L-FABP positive n = 74L-FABP negative n = 5L-FABP positive n = 56L-FABP negative n = 16L-FABP positive n = 130
Tumor size (mm)16.0 ± 2.115.8 ± 3.30.56645.4 ± 29.543.3 ± 33.60.93125.2 ± 20.827.6 ± 26.00.652
Differentiation0.032a0.7660.110
Well0 (0.0)26 (35.1)0 (0.0)7 (12.5)0 (0.0)33 (25.4)
Moderate10 (90.9)43 (58.1)4 (80.0)36 (64.3)14 (87.5)79 (60.8)
Poor1 (9.1)5 (6.8)1 (20.0)13 (23.2)2 (12.5)18 (13.8)
Pseudoglandular pattern0.4780.2180.461
Absent8 (72.7)49 (66.2)2 (40.0)38 (67.9)10 (62.5)87 (66.9)
Present3 (27.3)25 (33.8)3 (60.0)18 (32.1)6 (37.5)43 (33.1)
Nuclear grade0.2990.6410.424
Low8 (72.7)62 (83.8)4 (80.0)42 (75.0)12 (75.0)104 (80.0)
High3 (27.3)12 (16.2)1 (20.0)14 (25.0)4 (25.0)26 (20.0)
Fatty change0.6590.4360.458
Absent9 (81.8)60 (81.1)5 (100.0)47 (83.9)14 (87.5)107 (82.3)
Present2 (18.2)14 (18.9)0 (0.0)9 (16.1)2 (12.5)23 (17.7)
Inflammation0.009b0.6600.039a
Absent9 (81.8)29 (39.2)3 (60.0)34 (60.7)12 (75.0)63 (48.5)
Present2 (18.2)45 (60.8)2 (40.0)22 (39.3)4 (25.0)67 (51.5)
Fibrosis0.1600.4660.105
Absent10 (90.9)53 (71.6)4 (80.0)37 (66.1)14 (87.5)90 (69.2)
Present1 (9.1)21 (28.4)1 (20.0)19 (33.9)2 (12.5)40 (30.8)
Cholestasis0.2240.3690.120
Absent9 (81.8)48 (64.9)4 (80.0)34 (60.7)13 (81.3)82 (63.1)
Present2 (18.2)26 (35.1)1 (20.0)22 (39.3)3 (18.7)48 (36.9)
Tumor stage0.8330.7890.646
18 (72.7)56 (75.7)0 (0.0)1 (1.8)8 (50.0)57 (43.8)
23 (27.3)18 (24.3)3 (60.0)37 (66.1)6 (37.5)55 (42.3)
30 (0.0)0 (0.0)2 (40.0)14 (25.0)2 (12.5)14 (10.8)
40 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)4 (7.1)0 (0.0)4 (3.1)
Background liver tissue0.6490.3940.301
Normal0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)4 (7.7)0 (0.0)4 (3.2)
CH3 (27.3)25 (34.2)2 (40.0)26 (50.0)5 (31.3)51 (40.8)
LC8 (72.7)48 (65.8)3 (60.0)22 (42.3)11 (68.7)70 (56.0)
Table 5 Relation between liver fatty acid-binding protein expression and other immunohistochemical markers n (%)
ImmunostainingTumor size2 cm
P valueTumor size > 2 cm
P valueTotal
P value
L-FABP negative n = 11L-FABP positive n = 74L-FABP negative n = 5L-FABP positive n = 56L-FABP negative n = 16L-FABP positive n = 130
CK 70.4300.5150.512
Negative4 (36.4)33 (44.6)3 (60.0)28 (50.0)7 (43.8)61 (46.9)
Positive7 (63.6)41 (55.4)2 (40.0)28 (50.0)9 (56.2)69 (53.1)
CK 190.4230.7030.301
Negative11 (100)68 (91.9)5 (100)52 (92.9)16 (100)120 (92.3)
Positive0 (0)6 (8.1)0 (0)4 (7.1)0 (0)10 (7.7)
β-catenin0.009b0.4330.073
Negative4 (36.4)57 (77.0)4 (80.0)36 (64.3)8 (50.0)93 (71.5)
Positive7 (63.6)17 (23.0)1 (20.0)20 (35.7)8 (50.0)37 (28.5)
GS0.000b0.3930.001b
Negative3 (27.3)62 (83.8)3 (60.0)42 (75.0)6 (37.5)104 (80.0)
Positive8 (72.7)12 (16.2)2 (40.0)14 (25.0)10 (62.5)26 (20.0)
SAA0.2680.9180.301
Negative11 (100)65 (87.8)5 (100)55 (98.2)16 (100)120 (92.3)
Positive0 (0)9 (12.2)0 (0)1 (1.8)0 (0)10 (7.7)