ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect Beclin1 expression and explore its clinical significance in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Beclin1 expressions in 10 normal hepatic tissues, 30 hepatitis liver, 30 cirrhotic liver and 50 HCC tissues were detected by immunohistochemical staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positivity rates of Beclin1 expression in the HCC, cirrhotic liver, hepatitis liver and normal liver tissues were 78.00% (39/50), 26.67% (8/30), 53.33% (16/30), and 10.00% (1/10), respectively, showing significant differences between them (chi(2)=28.31, P<0.05). Beclin1 expression was significantly higher in HCC tissues than in the cirrhotic, hepatitis and normal liver tissues (chi(2)=20.39, 5.31, and 14.41, respectively, P<0.05), and hepatitis tissues showed significantly higher Beclin1 expression than hepatic cirrhosis tissues and normal hepatic tissues (chi(2)=4.44 and 4.12, respectively, P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The abnormal expression of Beclin1 is closely associated with the pathogenesis and development of primary hepatocellular carcinoma, and may play an important role in this process.</p>