Folate receptor 1 is a stemness trait-associated diagnostic and prognostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be classified into several subtypes based on molecular traits, aiding in prognostic stratification. The subtype with a poor prognosis is often associated with stem/progenitor features. This study focused on identifying circulating biomarkers for aggressive HCC.

Methods

We searched for secretory proteins whose expression was positively associated with the stem/progenitor markers KRT19, EPCAM, and PROM1 in 2 independent HCC cohorts. Serum folate receptor 1 (FOLR1) levels were measured in 238 chronic liver disease and 247 HCC patients, evaluating their diagnostic and prognostic capabilities.

Results

FOLR1 was identified as a secretory protein that was positively correlated with all 3 stem/progenitor markers and a poor prognos

SUBMITTER: Shiode Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11877696 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature