The Role of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor - mediated signaling pathways play crucial roles in tumorigenesis and progression. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the expression pattern of EGF in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), its association with clinicopathological features, and its prognostic value. A total of 200 HCC patients who underwent surgical resection at our institution from 2017 - 2022 were included. EGF expression in tumor and adjacent non - tumor tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis showed that high EGF expression in tumor tissues was significantly associated with larger tumor size (p = 0.01), advanced TNM stage (p = 0.005), and higher tumor recurrence rate (p = 0.02). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified high EGF expression as an independent risk factor for poor overall survival (HR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.5 - 3.5, p < 0.001) and recurrence - free survival (HR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2 - 3.0, p = 0.008). These findings suggest that EGF may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.