ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of recurrence for serum hypoxia inducible factor‑1α (HIF‑1α), C‑reaction protein (CRP) in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty‑eight hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with TACE were included in this study from February 2010 to January 2013 as the case group. Of the included 58 cases, 47 patients had recurrence disease, and other 11 cases had no recurrence disease within 2 years follow‑up. Moreover, 62 subjects with no benign liver disease were recruited as a control group in the same period. The serum level of HIF‑1α and CRP were tested in case group and control group 1‑week after TACE. The serum level of HIF‑1α and CRP were compared among the recurrence, nonrecurrence, and benign liver disease patients. The predictive value of recurrence for serum HIF‑1α, CRP was calculated by Bayes’ theorem. RESULTS: The serum HIF‑1α and CRP level was arrayed 1‑week after TACE. For recurrence cases, the serum level of HIF‑1α and CRP was 2457.00 ± 335.70 pg/ml and 11.46 ± 3.25 mg/L. For nonrecurrence subjects, the serum level of HIF‑1α and CRP was 2067.00 ± 175.900 pg/ml and 8.99 ± 1.70 mg/L. Moreover, for the benign liver disease patients, the serum level of HIF‑1α and CRP was 1897.00 ± 121.33 pg/ml and 6.11 ± 1.2 mg/L. The serum level of HIF‑1α and CRP was significantly higher in hepatocellular carcinoma patients than that of benign liver disease patients (P < 0.05); The recurrence predictive sensitivity and specificity of HIF‑1α for hepatocellular carcinoma patients after TACE chemoembolization was 76.60% and 81.82% with the area under the curve (AUC) receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.85; The recurrence predictive sensitivity and specificity of CRP for hepatocellular carcinoma patients after TACE was 65.96% and 63.64% with the AUC/ROC of 0.74. CONCLUSION: The serum level of HIF‑1α and CRP was elevated in recurrence patients which could be a potential marker for recurrence prediction.