Table 2.
Research progress on the clinical utility of transforming growth factor-beta 1 as a prognostic marker against hepatocellular carcinoma
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Ref.
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Sample size HCC/control
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Sample and assay type
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TGF-β1 level
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Survival rate (%), (patients with higher TGF-β1 vs patients with lower TGF-β1)
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Outcome of the study
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||
| [75] | 571/551 | Plasma | Control: 3.58 ± 0.17 log10 pg/mL | 1 yr survival (47 vs 60) | 3 yr survival (28 vs 36) P < 0.05 | Plasma TGF-β1 levels showed a positive correlation with tumor size, invasion and extrahepatic metastasis and inversely correlated with survival rates in HCC patients | |
| ELISA | Cirrhotic: 3.20 ± 0.37 log10 pg/mL | ||||||
| HCC: 3.83 ± 0.31 log10 pg/mL | |||||||
| [83] | 126 | Tumor tissue | 84% samples (106/126) showed high intra-tumoral TGF-β1 expression | 5 yr survival (8.5 vs 45.6) | TGF-β1 and FGFR4 were positively correlated in HCC tumor tissues and showed a significant association with shorter survival rates in patients | ||
| Immunohistochemistry | 64.3% samples (81/126) showed high peri-tumoral TGF-β1 expression | ||||||
| [80] | 84/20 | Tumor tissue | TGF-β1 overexpression found in 59.5% samples (50/84) than that of normal liver tissue | 1 yr survival (28 vs 79.4) | 5 yr survival (12 vs 62.6) | TGF-β1 expression was dominant, whereas ELF expression was suppressed in HCC tissues | |
| Immunohistochemistry | Patients with high TGF-β1 and lower ELF expression are associated with poor overall survival and post-operative disease free survival compared with low TGF-β1 and high ELF group | ||||||
| [76] | 184/30 | Plasma and tumor tissue | Elevated plasma TGF-β1 level | 2 yr survival ( 51 vs 77) | 3 yr survival (4 vs 68), P < 0.05 | Higher TGF-β1 expression in tumor tissues triggers Treg cells mediated immunosuppression in tumor microenvironment and contribute to poor prognosis in HCC | |
| ELISA and immunohistochemistry | TGF-β1 was strongly stained in tumor tissue | ||||||
| [84] | 40 | Serum | Before RFA: 63.22 ± 23.61 ng/mL | After RFA: 56.33 ± 24.24 ng/mL | NA | Radiofrequency ablation lowered TGF-β1 and AFP L3% expression in HCC patients | |
| ELISA | Low TGF-β1 and AFP L3% levels were observed in the no recurrence group, suggesting its potential as prognostic markers for HCC | ||||||
ELISA: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; TGF-β: Transforming growth factor-beta; AFP: Alpha feto protein; ELF: Embryonic liver fodrin; FGFR: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4.