Plasma micoRNA‐122 as a predictive marker for treatment response following transarterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Background and Aim

Circulating microRNA (miR)‐122 has recently been investigated as a potential biomarker of various hepatic diseases, such as chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the association between plasma miR‐122 levels and the treatment outcomes following transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in HCC patients.

Methods

We included 177 HCC patients treated with TACE in the study; TACE refractoriness and liver transplantation‐free survival were evaluated during follow up. Pretreatment plasma miR‐122 levels were assessed using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Relative quantification of miR‐122 expression (fold change) was determined using the 2^(−ΔΔCt) method. MiR‐16 was used as an internal control for the normalization of miRNA data.

Results

During the mean follow up of 22.4 (range, 1–79) months, 112 (69.5%) patients exhibited TACE refractoriness. Multivariate analyses showed that tumor number (hazard ratio [HR], 2.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43–4.41; P = 0.001) and tumor size (HR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.62–4.32; P = 0.000) can independently predict overall TACE refractoriness. High miR‐122 expression (> 100) was associated with early TACE refractoriness (within 1 year; HR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.12–6.86; P = 0.028), together with tumor number (HR, 22.73; 95% CI, 2.74–188.66; P = 0.004) and tumor size (HR, 4.90; 95% CI, 1.99–12.06; P = 0.001). Univariate analyses showed that high miR‐122 expression tends to be associated with poor liver transplantation‐free survival (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.95–2.11; P = 0.085). However, it was statistically insignificant in multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

High expression levels of plasma miR‐122 are associated with early TACE refractoriness in HCC patients treated with TACE.