Shao S, Xiong Y, Kong MW, Yu Y, Zhang CX. Digital polymerase chain reaction detection of telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutations in hepatitis B virus related hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; 18(4): 116504 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i4.116504]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Chun-Xiang Zhang, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China. zhangchx999@163.com
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Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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Editorial
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Apr 15, 2026 (publication date) through Apr 11, 2026
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Publication Name
World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology
ISSN
1948-5204
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Shao S, Xiong Y, Kong MW, Yu Y, Zhang CX. Digital polymerase chain reaction detection of telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutations in hepatitis B virus related hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; 18(4): 116504 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i4.116504]
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Apr 15, 2026; 18(4): 116504 Published online Apr 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i4.116504
Digital polymerase chain reaction detection of telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutations in hepatitis B virus related hepatocellular carcinoma
Shuai Shao, Yu Xiong, Mo-Wei Kong, Yang Yu, Chun-Xiang Zhang
Shuai Shao, Yu Xiong, Mo-Wei Kong, Yang Yu, Chun-Xiang Zhang, Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
Co-first authors: Shuai Shao and Yu Xiong.
Co-corresponding authors: Yang Yu and Chun-Xiang Zhang.
Author contributions: Shao S and Kong MW wrote the manuscript; Yu Y and Zhang CX provided crucial suggestions, guidance for the writing, and they contributed equally to this manuscript and are co-corresponding authors; Xiong Y reviewed and revised the manuscript; Shao S and Xiong Y contributed equally to this manuscript and are co-first authors. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Chun-Xiang Zhang, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China. zhangchx999@163.com
Received: November 13, 2025 Revised: January 9, 2026 Accepted: January 23, 2026 Published online: April 15, 2026 Processing time: 146 Days and 19.1 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This study provides the first systematic evidence that an optimized digital polymerase chain reaction assay can achieve ultra-sensitive detection of the guanine-cytosine-rich telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter C228T mutation in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma, with 100% sensitivity and a detection limit of 0.55 cp/μL - far surpassing traditional sequencing methods. By integrating TERT mutation status with clinical variables, we developed a prognostic nomogram that accurately predicts overall and disease-free survival, enabling early recurrence detection through ctDNA-based liquid biopsy. This work bridges molecular mechanism and clinical translation, establishing TERT mutation detection by digital polymerase chain reaction as a cornerstone technology for precision hepatocarcinology and individualized postoperative surveillance.
