Heterophile carbohydrate antigen N‐glycolylneuraminic acid as a potential biomarker in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high recurrence rate even after radical hepatectomy. More optimal biomarkers may help improve recurrence and prognosis. METHODS: We investigated whether the oncological properties of N‐glycolylneuraminic acid (NeuGc) can participate in the prognosis of HCC. We evaluated the NeuGc antigen (Ag) expression in the HCC tissues and measured the preoperative anti‐NeuGc IgG antibodies (Abs) in the sera of the patients with HCC. We compared the clinical characteristics and survival rate in the hepatectomized patients (initial; n = 66, recurrent; n = 34) with and without the NeuGc Ag or Abs. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses showed positive expression of NeuGc Ag in HCC tissues (Odds ratio; initial = 6.3, recurrent = 14.0) and higher titers of preoperative anti‐NeuGc Ab (Odds ratio; initial = 4.9; recurrent = 3.8), which could be the predictive factors related to early recurrence. Both the NeuGc Ag‐positive and Ab‐positive groups in the initial hepatectomized patients exhibited significantly shorter recurrent free survival compared to those in the negative groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that anti‐NeuGc Ab titers and NeuGc Ag expression in the HCC tissues can be used as the predictive factors for the postoperative recurrence and prognosis of HCC.