Relationship of CD34 expression and invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of CD34 in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The expressions of CD34 in 54 specimens of HCC and tumor-adjacent liver tissues were detected by EnVisionTM immunohistochemistry.Microvascular density(MVD) in the CD34 positive cases was calculated and clinicopathological features of HCC were analyzed.Results The brown CD34 staining localized in the vascular endothelial cells,which was positively and diffusibly expressed in HCC tissues.The expression of CD34 in tumor-adjacent liver tissues was usually negative.MVD was significantly higher in HCC tissue than that in tumor-adjacent liver tissues(46.23±16.12 vs.18.15±5.92)(P0.01).CD34 expression was correlated to Edmonson grade Ⅲ+Ⅳ,vein invasion,metastasis and liver cirrhosis(P0.05).ConclusionOverexpression of CD34 relates with angiogenesis,metastasis and invasion of HCC.