EXPRESSION OF FIBROBLAST GROWTH-FACTOR-I AND FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR-2 IN NORMAL LIVER AND HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA

This study was performed to examine the immunohistochemical expression of fibroblast growth factor-1 and fibroblast growth factor-2 in norma l liver and a total of 31 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Rea ctivity for both types of angiogenic factor did not exist in any cellu lar component of normal liver. For HCC, variable amounts of fibroblast growth factor-1 were detected in 6 of 31 cases (19.4%). There was no apparent relationship between the expression pattern and clinicopathol ogic factors (P > 0.1, respectively), except a positive correlation wi th histologic grading (P = 0.04). No tumor showed reactivity for fibro blast growth factor-2 in their cancer cells. However, both types of pe ptide could be demonstrated in the pericellular stroma of HCC. With a mean follow-up at 60 months, fibroblast growth factor-1 expression did not correlate with patients' outcome (P > 0.1). Our study suggested t hat fibroblast growth factor-1 appears to play a certain role in hepat ocarcinogenesis.