Effect of c-myc, Ki-67, MMP-2 and VEGF expression on prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing tumor resection

Table 1 Clinical data of patients in groups A and B

Item	Group A (n = 15)	Group B (n = 15)
Sex	14 males, 1 female	14 males, 1 female
Age (yr)	54.7 ± 14.3	48.2 ± 8.4
Mean diameter (cm)	3.2 ± 1.0	2.9 ± 1.1
Tumor volume (cm3)	22.0 ± 21.4	18.2 ± 17.6
Liver function	grade A	grade A
Serum AFPa (grade)	0.9 ± 1.0	0.6 ± 1.0
ALT (U/L)	58.0 ± 54.1	64.9 ± 56.6
AST (U/L)	49.9 ± 46.8	42.0 ± 37.7
HBV infection rate	87% (13/15)	100 (15/15)

^aserum AFP was graded as follows: 0: 0-200 μg/L, 1: 201-400 μg/L, 2: > 400 μg/L.

Table 2 Characteristics of antibodies used in this study

Name of antibody	Specificity	Dilution	Secondary antibody
c-myc	Monoclonal	1:50	Goat anti mouse
	Mouse anti human
Ki-67	Monoclonal	1:50	Goat anti mouse
	Mouse anti human
MMP-2	Monoclonal	1:50	Goat anti mouse
	Mouse anti human
VEGF	Monoclonal	1:50	Goat anti mouse
	Mouse anti human

Table 3 Expressing rate (%) and intensity of examined mol-ecules in cancer and para-cancer tissues in group A

Item	Cancer tissue	Para-cancer tissue
c-myc	80 (12/15)b; 3.95 ± 2.81b	0 (0/15); 0.00 ± 0.00
Ki-67	60 (9/15)b; 1.57 ± 2.20	7 (1/15); 0.57 ± 2.21
MMP-24	7 (7/15)a; 3.70 ± 4.13a	7 (1/15); 0.80 ± 3.10
VEGF	67 (10/15)b; 5.44 ± 4.20b	7 (1/15); 0.04 ± 0.15

^aP < 0.05,

^bP < 0.01 vs Para-cancer tissue.

Table 4 Expressing rate (%) and intensity of examined mol-ecules in cancer and para-cancer tissues in group B

Item	Cancer tissue	Para-cancer tissue
c-myc	40 (6/15); 1.34 ± 2.74	7 (1/15); 0.26 ± 1.00
Ki-67	40 (6/15); 0.18 ± 0.38	7 (1/15); 0.01 ± 0.04
MMP-2	20 (3/15); 0.61 ± 1.70	0 (0/15); 0.00 ± 0.00
VEGF	27 (4/15); 1.04 ± 3.38	0 (0/15); 0.00 ± 0.00

Table 5 Expressing rate (%) and intensity of examined mol-ecules in cancer tissues in groups A and B

Item	Group A	Group B
c-myc	80 (12/15); 3.95 ± 2.81b	40 (6/15); 1.34 ± 2.74
Ki-67	60 (9/15); 1.57 ± 2.20a	40 (6/15); 0.18 ± 0.38
MMP-2	47 (7/15); 3.70 ± 4.13a	20 (3/15); 0.61 ± 1.70
VEGF	67 (10/15); 5.44 ± 4.20b	27 (4/15); 1.04 ± 3.38

^aP < 0.05,

^bP < 0.01 vs Group B.

Table 6 Expressing rate (%) and intensity of examined mol-ecules in para-cancer tissues in groups A and B

Item	Group A	Group B
c-myc	0 (0/15); 0.00 ± 0.00	7 (1/15); 0.26 ± 1.00
Ki-67	7 (1/15); 0.57 ± 2.21	7 (1/15); 0.01 ± 0.04
MMP-2	7 (1/15); 0.80 ± 3.10	0 (0/15); 0.00 ± 0.00
VEGF	7 (1/15); 0.04 ± 0.15	0 (0/15); 0.00 ± 0.00