Table 1. Both HBV CP mutations and AKT were associated with poor HCC prognosis.
| Variables | All patients (n = 114) | BHCC (n = 56) | PHCC (n = 58) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | ||||
| >50 | 43 (37.7) | 19 (33.9) | 24 (41.4) | 0.445 |
| ≤50 | 71 (62.3) | 37 (66.1) | 34 (58.6) | |
| Male, n (%) | 97 (85.1) | 46 (82.1) | 51 (87.9) | 0.380 |
| Cirrhosis, n (%) | ||||
| Yes | 83 (72.8) | 35 (62.5) | 48 (82.8) | 0.020 |
| No | 31 (27.2) | 21 (37.5) | 10 (17.2) | |
| Tumor size | ||||
| >5 cm, n (%) | 73 (64.0) | 30 (53.6) | 43 (74.1) | 0.048 |
| ≤5 cm, n (%) | 41 (36.0) | 26 (46.4) | 15 (25.9) | |
| Tumor quantity, n (%) | ||||
| ≥3 | 11 (9.6) | 1 (1.8) | 10 (17.2) | 0.001 |
| = 2 | 5 (4.4) | 3 (5.3) | 2 (3.5) | 0.676 |
| = 1 | 98 (86.0) | 52 (92.9) | 46 (79.3) | 0.057 |
| Encapsulation, n (%) | ||||
| No | 40 (35.1) | 17 (30.4) | 23 (39.7) | 0.331 |
| Yes | 74 (64.9) | 39 (69.6) | 35 (60.3) | |
| CHILD Classification, n (%) | ||||
| B | 9 (7.9) | 4 (7.1) | 5 (8.6) | 1.000 |
| A | 105 (92.1) | 52 (92.9) | 53 (91.4) | |
| TNM classification, n (%) | ||||
| I | 55 (48.2) | 28 (50.0) | 27 (46.6) | 1.000 |
| II+III | 59 (51.8) | 28 (50.0) | 31 (53.4) | |
| AFP (ng/ml), n (%) | ||||
| >400 | 47 (41.2) | 22 (39.3) | 25 (43.1) | 0.707 |
| ≤400 | 67 (58.8) | 34 (60.7) | 33 (56.9) | |
| Ascites, n (%) | ||||
| Yes | 11 (9.6) | 5 (8.9) | 6 (10.3) | 0.525 |
| No | 103 (90.4) | 51 (91.1) | 52 (89.7) | |
| Portal vein thrombosis, n (%) | ||||
| Positive | 5 (4.4) | 1 (1.8) | 4 (6.9) | 0.364 |
| Negative | 109 (95.6) | 55 (98.2) | 54 (93.1) | |
| ALT (U/L), n (%) | ||||
| >ULN | 70 (61.4) | 34 (60.7) | 36 (62.1) | 0.711 |
| ≤ULN | 44 (38.6) | 22 (39.3) | 22 (37.9) | |
| AST (U/L), n (%) | ||||
| >ULN | 41 (36.0) | 13 (23.2) | 28 (48.3) | 0.006 |
| ≤ULN | 73 (64.0) | 43 (76.8) | 30 (51.7) | |
| Albumin (g/L), n (%) | ||||
| ≥40 | 80 (70.2) | 45(80.4) | 35 (60.3) | 0.025 |
| <40 | 34 (29.8) | 11 (19.6) | 23 (39.7) | |
| Bilirubin (μmol/L), n (%) | ||||
| ≥23.9 | 13 (11.4) | 6 (10.7) | 7 (12.1) | 1.000 |
| <23.9 | 101 (88.6) | 50 (89.3) | 51 (87.9) | |
| Prothrombin time (s), n (%) | ||||
| ≥12 | 12 (10.5) | 5 (8.9) | 7 (12.1) | 1.000 |
| <12 | 102 (89.5) | 51 (91.1) | 51 (87.9) | |
| PLT (10E9/L), n (%) | ||||
| <170 | 41 (36.0) | 20 (35.7) | 21 (36.2) | 1.000 |
| ≥170 | 73 (64.0) | 36 (64.3) | 37 (63.8) | |
| Alcohol use, n (%) | ||||
| Yes | 41 (36.0) | 19 (33.9) | 22 (37.9) | 0.699 |
| No | 73 (60.0) | 37 (66.1) | 36 (62.1) | |
| HBV DNA (copies/ml), n (%) | ||||
| >6.0E+06 | 33 (28.9) | 10 (19.6) | 23 (37.9) | 0.021 |
| ≤6.0E+06 | 81 (71.1) | 46 (80.4) | 35 (62.1) | |
| HBsAg (IU/ml), n (%) | ||||
| ≤500 | 60 (52.6) | 36 (64.3) | 24 (41.4) | 0.025 |
| >500 | 54 (47.4) | 20 (35.7) | 34 (58.6) | |
| HBV genotypes, n (%) | ||||
| B | 66 (57.9) | 32 (57.1) | 34 (58.6) | 1.000 |
| C | 48 (42.1) | 24 (42.9) | 24 (41.4) | |
| CP status, n (%) | ||||
| WT | 22 (19.3) | 16 (28.6) | 6 (10.3) | 0.018 |
| TA | 24 (21.1) | 14 (25.0) | 10 (17.2) | 0.362 |
| TACO | 68 (59.6) | 26 (46.4) | 42 (72.4) | 0.007 |
| pAKT1 expression, n (%) | ||||
| High | 50 (43.9) | 18 (32.1) | 32 (55.2) | 0.015 |
| Low | 64 (56.1) | 38 (67.9) | 26 (44.8) | |
Samples in the PHCC group expressed significantly higher levels of pAKT than samples in the BHCC group (55.2% vs. 32.1%; P = 0.015). Moreover, TACO mutations were more common in the PHCC group than in the BHCC group (72.4% vs. 46.4%; P = 0.007). The data were analysed using SPSS, version 15, and the results are expressed as a percentage. Categorical variables were compared with a chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. P values < 0.05 were considered to indicate significant differences. PHCC, HCC patients with a poor prognosis (less than 5-year survival); BHCC, HCC patients with a better prognosis (more than 5-year survival); ALT, alanine transferase; AST, aspartate transferase; AFP, alpha fetal protein; PLT, platelet; ULN, upper limit of normal; LLN, lower limit of normal.