DNA-SYNTHESIS ACTIVITIES OF HEPATOCYTES FROM NONCANCEROUS CIRRHOTIC TISSUE AND OF HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA (HCC) CELLS FROM CANCEROUS-TISSUE CAN PREDICT THE SURVIVAL OF HEPATECTOMIZED PATIENTS WITH HCC

Background. There is a concept that a cancer often maintains some of t he traits of the background tissue cells. Thus, the possibility exists that the DNA synthetic activity of the hepatocytes in cirrhotic tissu e affects that of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Methods. DNA s ynthesis activity of hepatocytes from background cirrhotic tissue and HCC cells from cancerous tissue was studied in 30 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and HCC who had undergone hepatectomy; the study was do ne using the bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-anti-BrdU in vitro method. The c orrelation between the BrdU labeling index (LI) of hepatocytes from no ncancerous cirrhotic tissue and that of HCC cells was studied. The rel ationship between both BrdU LI values and the survival after hepatecto my also was studied. Results. A significant correlation (r = 0.572; P < 0.001) was identified between the BrdU LI for HCC and that for nonca ncerous cirrhotic tissue. A significant correlation (r = -0.572; P < 0 .05) was found between the BrdU LI of HCC cells and the survival after hepatectomy. A significant correlation (r = -0.678; P < 0.01) was obs erved between the BrdU LI of the noncancerous cirrhotic tissue and the survival. Conclusions. It was concluded that a significant correlatio n existed between DNA synthesis of hepatocytes from the background cir rhotic tissue and that of HCC cells and that DNA synthesis activity of hepatocytes from noncancerous cirrhotic tissue and that of HCC cells from cancerous tissue could predict the survival of patients with HCC who had undergone hepatectomy.