No abstract

Background: A number of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients have developed resistance against transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment. In this study, we aimed to develop a panel of microRNAs (miRs) biomarkers to predict clinical outcomes in HCC patients after TACE treatment. Methods: The expression level of twenty miRs was evaluated in FFPE tissues collected from 33 HCC patients. We selected four differentially expressed miRs in TACE-responders versus nonresponders and reassessed their expression in 51 serum samples. The expressions of miRs associated with overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and treatment outcomes were investigated. The diagnostic accuracy of these miRs in predicting patients' response to TACE was also evaluated.

In HCC patients with chronic HCV infection, we identified a group of differentially expressed circulating proteins involved in regulating different cellular mechanisms.