Objective: To detect the expression of Nusap1 of surgical margins in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and investigate its association with early tumor recurrence.
Methods: The expression of Nusap1 in the surgical margins of HCC, which were histopathologically negative for tumor cells, was examined using immunohistochemistry in 61 HCC cases.
Results: Fifteen of 21 (71.4%) cases with immunohistochemical positivity for Nusap1 expression in the surgical margins had early recurrence of HCC, a rate significantly higher than that in patients with negative Nusap1 expression (12/40, 30%) (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Nusap1 expression in the surgical margins of HCC is closely correlated to early postoperative recurrence and can serve as an indicator for predicting early recurrence of HCC.