Table 1. Correlation between NDRG2 staining and clinicopathologic characteristics in 136 HCC patients.

Variabls	NDRG2 staining
	High (n=55)	Low (n=81)
	n(%)	n(%)	P value
Age (years)
≤50	26(47.27%)	44(54.32%)	0.420
>50	29(52.73%)	37(45.68%)
Gender
Male	42(76.36%)	67(82.72%)	0.362
Female	13(23.64%)	14(17.28%)
HBsAg
Negative	11(20.00%)	15(18.52%)	0.830
Positive	44(80.00%)	66(81.48%)
Anti-HCV
Negative	53(96.36%)	77(95.06%)	0.717
Positive	2(3.64%)	4(4.94%)
Liver cirrhosis
No	9(16.36%)	17(19.32%)	0.501
Yes	46(83.64%)	64(80.68%)
Serum AFP, ng/ml
≤20	15(27.27%)	20(24.69%)	0.735
>20	40(72.73%)	61(75.31%)
Tumor diameter (cm)
≤5	35(63.64%)	41(50.62%)	0.133
>5	20(36.36%)	40 (49.38%)
Microvascular invasion
No	40(72.73%)	32(39.51%)	0.0001
Yes	15(27.27%)	49(60.49%)
Tumor number
Single	37(67.27%)	48(59.26%)	0.344
Multiple	18(32.73%)	33(40.74%)
TNM stage
I	34(61.82%)	35(43.21%)	0.033
II -III	21(38.18%)	46(56.79%)
Edmonson grade
I-II	45(81.82%)	51(62.96%)	0.018
III-IV	10(18.18%)	30(37.04%)
Growth pattern
Expansile	49(89.09%)	61(75.31%)	0.045
Infiltrative	6(10.91%)	20(24.69%)

Abbreviations:AFP, alpha-fetoptotein; HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen; HCV, hepatitis C virus.