Relationship between tissue factor expression and angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma and its clinical significance

Objective To investigate the relationship between tissue factor (TF) expression and angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and its clinical significance. Methods The expression of TF in 54 specimens of HCC and in their adjacent liver tissue was detected with EnVisionTM immunohistochemistry. Tumor microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated using CD34 antibody as an endotheliaI marker with the same technique as well. Results Positive rates of TF and the mean value of MVD were significantly higher in HCC than those in the adjacent liver tissue (63.00% vs 5.6% and 53.17±27.04 vs 19.15±6.92, P0.01). TF expression was positively correlated with MVD value (r=0.662, P0.01). TF expression was correlated wtih vein invasion, intrahepatic metastasis, no envelope, AFP≤20 ng/ml and Edmonson stage Ⅲ+Ⅳ (P0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that TF expression was one of the independent risk factor in venous invasion of the liver cancer. Conclusion Overexpression of TF has a relationship with angiogenesis, metastasis and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma.