Background/aims: The genome-wide association study has shown that MHC class I chain-related A (MICA) genetic variants were associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The impact of the genetic variants and its serum levels on post-treatment cohort is elusive [corrected].
Methods: MICA rs2596542 genotype and serum MICA (sMICA) levels were evaluated in 705 patients receiving antiviral therapy.
Results: Fifty-eight (8·2%) patients developed HCC, with a median follow-up period of 48·2 months (range: 6–129 months). The MICA A allele was associated with a significantly increased risk of HCC development in cirrhotic non-SVR patients but not in patients of non-cirrhotic and/or with SVR. For cirrhotic non-SVR patients, high sMICA levels (HR/CI: 5·93/1·86–26·38, P = 0·002) [corrected] and the MICA rs2596542 A allele (HR/CI: 4·37/1·52–12·07, P = 0·002) were independently associated with HCC development. The risk A allele or GG genotype with sMICA > 175 ng/mL provided the best accuracy (79%) and a negative predictive value of 100% in predicting HCC.
Conclusions: Cirrhotic patients who carry MICA risk alleles and those without risk alleles but with high sMICA levels possessed the highest risk of HCC development once they failed antiviral therapy.
Keywords: EGF; HCC; IL-28; MICA; PNPLA3; SNP; SVR; Treatment; sMICA.
Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.