Clinicopathological characteristics of PIK3CA and HBx mutations in Korean patients with hepatocellular carcinomas. Issue 10 (28th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Dong Choon; Chung, Woo Jin; Lee, Jae‐Ho; Jang, Byung Kuk; Hwang, Jae Seok; Kang, Koo Jeong; Kwon, Sun Young
• Is Part Of: Apmis. Volume 122:Issue 10(2014:Oct.)
• Page Start: 1001
• Page End: 1006
• Publication Date: 2014-03-28
• Subjects: Pathology -- Periodicals; Microbiology -- Periodicals; Immunology -- Periodicals; 572
• DOI: 10.1111/apm.12245
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0903-4641

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="apm12245-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth most common form of cancer in the Korean population, caused primarily by infection with either the Hepatitis B or C virus. Progression of this disease is frequently associated with mutations in either <italic>phosphoinositide‐3‐kinase, catalytic, alpha</italic> (<italic>PIK3CA</italic>) or <italic>hepatitis B virus X</italic> (<italic>HBx</italic>) gene. Previous studies have examined the frequency of <italic>PIK3CA</italic> mutations in HCC, although the clinical significance of these mutations has not been studied in a Korean population. In addition, <italic>HBx</italic> appears to play a key role in modulating a wide range of cellular functions, leading to HCC. In this study, we examined microdissected tumor samples from 50 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy at Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center. These patients were screened for mutations in <italic>PIK3CA</italic> and <italic>HBx</italic> to identify the clinical outcomes associated with these mutations. Exons 9 and 20 of <italic>PIK3CA</italic> and the entirety of <italic>HBx</italic> were screened for mutations by polymerase chain reaction and direct DNA sequencing. <italic>PIK3CA</italic> mutations were detected in 7 of 50 patients (14%). Among the 42 patients who were seropositive for hepatitis B, 17 (40.5%) had <italic>HBx</italic> mutations and 4 (9.52%) had mutations in <italic>PIK3CA</italic>. <italic>PIK3CA</italic> mutations were strongly correlated with tumor size. Patients harboring <italic>HBx</italic> mutations exhibited a longer time to recurrence; this difference was statistically significant not only in comparison with the <italic>PIK3CA</italic> mutation but also compared with those without any mutations. This result suggests a role for <italic>PIK3CA</italic> and <italic>HBx</italic> mutations as prognostic markers in HCC.</p> </abstract>