Table 1.
Correlations between LINE-1 methylation levels and clinical characteristics in HCC (n = 77).
| All | LINE-1 hypermethylation (methylation ≥64.5%) (n = 39) | LINE-1 hypomethylation (methylation <64.5%) (n = 38) | P value | |
| Demographic variables | ||||
| Age, yr (<60/≥60) | 36/41 (46.8/53.2) | 21/18 (53.8/46.2) | 15/23 (39.5/60.5) | .206 |
| Sex, male/female | 69/8 (89.6/1.4) | 37/2 (94.9/5.1) | 32/6 (84.2/15.8) | .154 |
| Etiology, viral/nonviral | 63/14 (81.8/18.2) | 31/8 (79.5/2.5) | 32/6 (84.2/15.8) | .944 |
| Previous HCC treatment history, no/yes | 60/17 (77.9/22.1) | 33/6 (84.6/15.4) | 27/11 (71.1/28.9) | .151 |
| Tumor variables | ||||
| Size of tumor, <5 cm/≥5 cm | 42/35 (54.5/45.5) | 19/20 (48.7/51.3) | 23/15 (60.5/39.5) | .298 |
| Number of tumor, single/multiple | 40/37 (51.9/48.1) | 22/17 (56.4/43.6) | 18/20 (47.4/52.6) | .427 |
| PVT, no/yes | 57/20 (74.0/26.0) | 28/11 (71.8/28.2) | 29/9 (76.3/23.7) | .651 |
| T stage, 1–2/3–4 | 37/40 (48.1/51.9) | 20/19 (51.3/48.7) | 17/21 (44.7/55.3) | .565 |
| N stage, 0/1 | 75/2 (97.4/2.6) | 37/2 (94.9/5.1) | 38/0 (100.0/0.0) | .494 |
| M stage, 0/1 | 72/5 (93.5/6.5) | 38/1 (97.4/2.6) | 34/4 (89.5/10.5) | .200 |
| Modified UICC stage, I–II/III–IV | 36/41 (46.8/53.2) | 20/19 (51.3/48.7) | 16/22 (42.1/57.9) | .420 |
| Performance status, 0–1/2–3 | 74/3 (96.1/3.9) | 38/1 (97.4/2.6) | 36/2 (94.7/5.3) | .615 |
| Laboratory variables | ||||
| Aspartate aminotransferase, IU/L (<40/≥40) | 40/37 (51.9/48.1) | 21/18 (53.8/46.2) | 19/19 (50.0/50.0) | .736 |
| Alanine aminotransferase, IU/L (<40/≥40) | 53/24 (68.6/31.2) | 27/12 (69.2/30.8) | 26/12 (68.4/31.6) | .939 |
| Alpha-fetoprotein, ng/mL (<20/≥20) | 47/30 (61.0/39.0) | 25/14 (64.1/35.9) | 22/16 (57.9/42.1) | .704 |
| LC, no/yes | 35/42 (45.5/54.5) | 18/21 (46.2/53.8) | 17/21 (44.7/55.3) | .901 |
| Child-Pugh class, A/B | 27/15 (64.3/35.7) | 13/8 (61.9/38.1) | 14/7 (66.7/33.3) | .747 |
| Presence of ascites, no/yes | 71/6 (92.2/7.8) | 34/5 (87.2/12.8) | 37/1 (97.4/2.6) | .2 |