{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: A Blood Hepatocellular Carcinoma Signature Recognizes Very Small Tumor Nodules with Metastatic Traits.
{Author}: Chen K;Wang J;Jiang L;Zhao F;Zhang R;Wu Z;Wang D;Jiao Y;Xie H;Qu C;
{Journal}: J Clin Transl Hepatol
{Volume}: 12
{Issue}: 6
{Year}: 2024 Jun 28
{Factor}: 5.065
{DOI}: 10.14218/JCTH.2023.00559
{Abstract}: <B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases with small nodules are commonly treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA), but the recurrence rate remains high. This study aimed to establish a blood signature for identifying HCC with metastatic traits pre-RFA.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Data from HCC patients treated between 2010 and 2017 were retrospectively collected. A blood signature for metastatic HCC was established based on blood levels of alpha-fetoprotein and des-γ-carboxy-prothrombin, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) mutations, and methylation changes in target genes in frozen-stored plasma samples that were collected before RFA performance. The HCC blood signature was validated in patients prospectively enrolled in 2021.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Of 251 HCC patients in the retrospective study, 33.9% experienced recurrence within 1 year post-RFA. The HCC blood signature identified from these patients included des-γ-carboxy-prothrombin ≥40 mAU/mL with cfDNA mutation score, where cfDNA mutations occurred in the genes of TP53, CTNNB1, and TERT promoter. This signature effectively predicted 1-year post-RFA recurrence of HCC with 92% specificity and 91% sensitivity in the retrospective dataset, and with 87% specificity and 76% sensitivity in the prospective dataset (n=32 patients). Among 14 cases in the prospective study with biopsy tissues available, positivity for the HCC blood signature was associated with a higher HCC tissue score and shorter distance between HCC cells and microvasculature.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>This study established an HCC blood signature in pre-RFA blood that potentially reflects HCC with metastatic traits and may be valuable for predicting the disease's early recurrence post-RFA.