A Clinicopathological Study of Young-onset Hepatocellular Carcinoma
K.K. Au, Kristy Kwan‐Shuen Chan, Regina Cheuk‐Lam Lo
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the clinicopathological features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosed at 40 years of age or below. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression of CK19, Glypican-3 and β-catenin was assessed in clinical samples by immunohistochemistry (IHC). IHC expression was correlated with clinicopathological parameters. Hotspot mutations in TP53 gene were analyzed by sequencing. RESULTS: Thirty-six cases were included with a male to female ratio of 3:1. Eighty percent of cases were associated with chronic hepatitis B infection. CK19 and GPC3 were expressed in 61% and 56% of cases, respectively. Only one case demonstrated β-catenin over-expression. TP53 hotspot mutation was identified in 4 cases. Number of tumor nodules, vascular invasion, and preoperative serum AFP level were associated with prognosis. CONCLUSION: A higher CK19 expression rate was observed in our young-onset HCC cohort, whereas β-catenin pathway activation and TP53 gene mutation events were less frequent. Conventional clinicopathological parameters remain predictors of survival.