Clinical significance of serum expression of GROβ in hepatocellular carcinoma.

This study aimed to determine whether serum levels of growth-related gene product β (GROβ) were associated with clinical parameters in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the serum GROβ levels of 80 HCC patients, 65 patients with benign diseases of the liver, and 60 healthy volunteers were examined. The association between serum levels of GROβ and clinical parameters of HCC was analyzed statistically. The serum GROβ levels were much lower in benign diseases and healthy volunteers than HCC, and associated with tumor node metastasis (TNM) stages, tumor size, vascular thrombosis, capsule, and Edmondson grading of HCC (p < 0.05), but not with gender, age, liver cirrhosis, or the level of AFP (p > 0.05). We have demonstrated that GROβ, as an oncogene product, contributed to tumorigenesis and metastasis of HCC.