Meta-Analysis
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. May 15, 2025; 17(5): 105148
Published online May 15, 2025. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i5.105148
Hepatitis B core-related antigen as a predictive biomarker for recurrence in primary hepatocellular carcinoma: A meta-analysis
Ling-Bo Liang, Hai-Jun Zhang, Feng Liu, Qiao-Li Su
Ling-Bo Liang, Feng Liu, Qiao-Li Su, General Practice Ward/International Medical Center Ward, General Practice Medical Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Hai-Jun Zhang, General Practice Ward/International Medical Center Ward, West China Healthcare Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: Liang LB and Su QL contributed to the conception of the study; Liang LB contributed significantly to literature search, data extraction, quality assessment, data analyses, and manuscript preparation; Liang LB and Zhang HJ contributed improving the article for language and style and protocol preparation; Liang LB and Liu F helped perform the analysis with constructive discussions; Su QL revised the manuscript and approved the final version.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Qiao-Li Su, MD, General Practice Ward/International Medical Center Ward, General Practice Medical Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. cuxf27@163.com
Received: January 13, 2025
Revised: February 24, 2025
Accepted: April 11, 2025
Published online: May 15, 2025
Processing time: 122 Days and 19.5 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Our research compiles robust data from various studies to assess the prognostic significance of hepatitis B core-related antigen in predicting recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. This meta-analysis synthesizes evidence from 17 studies encompassing diverse populations and methodologies to offer a comprehensive understanding of hepatitis B core-related antigen’s role as a predictive biomarker. Given the high heterogeneity and recurrence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma, our findings are crucial for clinicians in tailoring patient-specific management strategies, potentially revolutionizing current surveillance and treatment protocols.