MicroRNA Expression, Survival, and Response to Interferon in Liver Cancer

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma is a common and aggressive cancer that occurs mainly in men. We examined microRNA expression patterns, survival, and response to interferon alfa in both men and women with the disease. Methods We analyzed three independent cohorts that included a total of 455 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who had undergone radical tumor resection between 1999 and 2003. MicroRNA-expression profiling was performed in a cohort of 241 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma to identify tumor-related microRNAs and determine their association with survival in men and women. In addition, to validate our findings, we used quantitative reverse-transcriptase–polymerase-chain-reaction assays to measure microRNAs and assess their association with survival and response to therapy with interferon alfa in 214 patients from two independent, prospective, randomized, controlled trials of adjuvant interferon therapy. Results In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, the expression of miR-26a and ...