Immunohistochemistry panel segregates molecular types of hepatocellular carcinoma in Brazilian autopsy cases

Table 5 Expression of immunohistochemical markers in categories of histological grade for primary hepatocellular carcinoma cases n (%)

IHC marker	Cut-off	Cases/valid samples			P value
		Grades 1 + 2	Grade 3	Grade 4
EGFR overexpression	≥ 200/3001	14 (67)a	12 (27)	3 (30)	0.008a
Ki67	≥ 0.1%	6 (30)a	31 (74)	8 (80)	0.002a
K19	> 1%	0 (0)	7 (17)	5 (45)a	0.005a
Vimentin	> 0/300	0 (0)	3 (7)	1 (9)	0.465
Caspase 3 loss	≤ 10/300	3 (15)	16 (38)	8 (73)a	0.006a
Cyclin D1	> 0.1%	4 (20)	9 (21)	3 (30)	0.847
mTOR expression	≥ 100/3001	7 (37)	17 (45)	1 (10)	0.134
MET expression	≥ 100/3001	8 (42)a	6 (14)	0 (0)	0.012a
ERK1 overexpression	≥ 200/3001	0 (0)	8 (20)	2 (18)	0.081
ERK2 overexpression	≥ 200/3001	1 (5)	6 (14)	3 (30)	0.148
p53	≥ 10%	5 (28)	16 (42)	7 (64)	0.164
Beta-catenin, membrane	≥ 100/3001	13 (65)	25 (64)	4 (40)	0.343
Beta-catenin, nucleus	2 or 3+	0 (0)	1 (3)	1 (10)	0.352

¹Score value.

^aP < 0.05 (outliers in pairwise test). EGFR: Epidermal growth factor receptor; ERK: Extracellular signaling-related kinase; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; IHC: Immunohistochemistry; MET: MET receptor tyrosine kinase; mTOR: Mechanistic target of rapamycin.