TY - JOUR AB - Epidemiological data regarding hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) report unsatisfactory morbimortality rates despite the global efforts to decrease the incidence and prolong patient survival. Current guidelines lack diagnostic biomarkers to better characterize patients with HCC. We aimed to validate the overexpression of Survivin‑1, tumor‑associated glyocoprotein 72 (Tag‑72), and HECT and RLD domain containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 5 (HERC5) as tissue biomarkers for HCC characterization in patients from our geographical area and to standardize a local biomarker panel to be introduced in the current management guideline. Thirty samples of histologically confirmed HCC were compared to an equal number of samples of benign tumors in terms of Survivin‑1, TAG‑72, and HERC5 overexpression. Student's t‑test, Mann‑Whitney U test and Chi‑square test were used to find differences between the two studied groups and to compare the categorical variables. The discriminative power of Survivin‑1, Tag‑72, and HERC5 overexpression was assessed using ROC curves. The multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that Survivin, Tag‑72, and HERC5 were significantly overexpressed in older male patients, with α‑fetoprotein (AFP) >200 ng/dl, low serum albumin, as well as in patients with imaging features of portal thrombosis and ascites. The diagnostic performance of Survivin‑1, Tag‑72 and HERC5 tissue biomarkers for HCC characterization was superior to that of the gold‑standard AFP. Our study results validate the overexpression of Survivin‑1, Tag‑72, and HERC5 as tissue biomarkers for HCC characterization in patients from our geographical region and could be standardized in the current HCC management guideline. AD - Department of Gastroenterology, ‘Ovidius’ University, 900527 Constanta, Romania Research and Development Centre for The Morphologic and Genetic Study of Malignant Pathology, ‘Ovidius’ University, 900527 Constanta, Romania Dentistry Faculty, Biophysics and Biostatistics Disciplines, ‘Ovidius’ University, 900527 Constanta, Romania Doctoral School of Medicine, ‘Ovidius’ University, 900527 Constanta, Romania Department of Oncology, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania Department of Oncology, ‘Ovidius’ University, 900527 Constanta, Romania Liver Transplant and General Surgery Centre, ‘Fundeni’ Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania Department of Pathology, ‘Fundeni’ Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania Department of Urology, ‘Ovidius’ University, 900527 Constanta, Romania AU - Suceveanu,Andra-Iulia AU - Micu,Ioan Sergiu AU - Baltatescu,Gabriela-Izabela AU - Petcu,Lucian Cristian AU - Dobrin,Nicolae AU - Brinzan,Costel AU - Nitipir,Cornelia AU - Mazilu,Laura AU - Botea,Florin AU - Herlea,Vlad AU - Voinea,Felix AU - Suceveanu,Adrian Paul DA - 2021/03/01 DO - 10.3892/etm.2021.9715 IS - 3 JO - Exp Ther Med KW - immunohistochemistry overexpression Survivin‑1 Tag‑72 HERC5 hepatocellular carcinoma PY - 2021 SN - 1792-0981 1792-1015 SP - 284 ST - Overexpression of Survivin‑1, TAG‑72 and HERC5 in patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma in the Black Sea coast geographical area T2 - Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine TI - Overexpression of Survivin‑1, TAG‑72 and HERC5 in patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma in the Black Sea coast geographical area UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.9715 VL - 21 ER -