Abstract: Objective To investigate the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (Ki67) in hepatitis B virus (HBV) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue and its correlation with clinicopathological parameters of HBV related HCC. Methods HBV-related HCC patients (n=134) were divided according to Ki67 index (the percentage of Ki67-posi⁃ tive cells) into Ki67 index <10% group (negative group, n=30) and Ki67 index ≥10% group(positive group, n=104). The cor⁃ relation of Ki67 index with age, gender, glypican 3 (GPC3), histological grade, BCLC (Barcelona Clinic liver cancer) staging, portal involvement, AFP (AFP), liver function related child-pugh classification data were calculated in both groups. Ki67 in⁃ dex is set according to the interval score to assess the relationship between Ki67 score and BCLC classification. Results (1) SP staining showed, Ki67 present a trend of increase from normal liver tissue to well-differentiated to medium differentiat⁃ ed tissue to poorly differentiated tissues intensity. (2) In positive group, Ki67 index was correlated with BCLC staging, portal metastasis, histological grade, GPC3 and AFP (P < 0.05); By contrast, in negative group, Ki67 index was not correlated with any clinical parameter (P > 0.05). (3) Ki67 score increases with the progress of BCLC classification. Conclusion In Ki67 positive group, Ki67 index combined with GPC3, histological grade, BCLC staging, portal involvement, AFP and liver func⁃ tion child-pugh classification can assess the severity of the patients with HCC, which is expected to become an important in⁃ dicator for the HBV-related HCC early diagnosis.

Key words: liver neoplasms, hepatitis B, chronic, diagnosis, prognosis, early diagnosis, Ki67