Immunohistochemical Expression and Clinical Significance of Suggested Stem Cell Markers in XXXX .

@entity5960 @entity1 @entity4166 @entity2940 @entity5439 @entity5 @entity3 @entity157
Purpose: : Increasing evidence has shown that @entity5 initiation and growth are nourished by a small subpopulation of @entity5 stem cells (CSCs) within the @entity5 mass. CSCs are posited to be responsible for @entity5 maintenance, growth, distant @entity3 , and relapse after curative operation. We examined the expression of CSC markers in paraffin-embedded tissue sections of @entity157 ( @entity157 ) and correlated the results with clinicopathologic characteristics. Materials and Methods: : Immunohistochemical staining for the markers believed to be expressed in the CSCs, including @entity5960 ( @entity5960 ), @entity4166 ( @entity4166 ), @entity5439 , and @entity2940 , was performed in 82 @entity157 specimens. Results: : @entity5960 expression was observed in 56% of the HCCs (46/82) and @entity4166 in 6% (5/82). @entity5960 expression in @entity157 significantly correlated with elevated a-fetoprotein level, microvessel invasion of @entity5 cells, and high histologic grade. In addition, @entity5960 expression significantly correlated with @entity4166 expression. The overall survival and relapse-free survival rates in @entity1 with @entity5960 -expressing @entity157 were relatively lower than those in @entity1 with @entity5960 -negative @entity157 . All but two of the 82 HCCs were negative for @entity5439 and @entity2940 , respectively. Conclusion: : Our results suggest that HCCs expressing @entity5960 are associated with unfavorable prognostic factors and have a more aggressive clinical course than those not expressing @entity5960 . Further, the expression of both @entity5439 and @entity2940 in paraffin-embedded @entity157 tissues appears to be rare.
