Decrease expression of microRNA-20a promotes cancer cell proliferation and predicts poor survival of hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 1 Clinical characteristics of the 100 HCC patients according to high- or low miR-20a expression level

Parameter	N	Patients with low miR-20a expression	Patients with high miR-20a expression	P-value
Age	100	57.820 ± 7.330	53.64 ± 8.341	0.212^†
Sex
Male	84	44	40	0.585^‡
Female	16	6	10
Underlying liver disease
HBV	95	47	48	1.000^§
others	5	3	2
Cirrhosis
Yes	95	47	48	1.000 ^§
No	5	3	2
Tumor stage
I + II	66	32	34	0.673^‡
III	34	18	16
Histologic grade
Differentiated	88	41	47	0.065^§
Undifferentiated	12	9	3
Milan criteria
In	55	24	31	0.159^‡
Out	45	26	19
Tumor size (cm)
≤5	60	24	36	0.014^‡
>5	40	26	14
Multinodular
Yes	43	25	18	0.034 ^‡
No	57	25	32
Micro-vascular invasion
Yes	22	16	6	0.016 ^‡
No	78	34	44
pre-LT serum AFP level
≤400 (ng/ml)	63	30	33	0.534 ^‡
>400 (ng/ml)	37	20	17
Overall survival	42/100	11/50	31/50	-
HCC recurrence	58/100	37/50	21/50	-

NOTE: AFP, alpha-fetoprotein. ^†Unpaired student t test; ^‡chi-square test; ^§Fisher’s exact test.

ISSN: 1756-9966