Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cyto – toxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) could serve as biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), according to findings published in Cancers. To determine if PD-1 and CTLA-4 could serve as indicators for HCC diagnosis and prognosis, researchers compared gene expression levels of PD-1 and CTLA-4 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with HCC with those from healthy controls. While higher levels of PD-1 gene expression were seen with multifocal tumors, lymphatic invasion, or distant metastasis compared with controls, conventional serum bio – markers of liver function did not exhibit similar correlations. In HCC, PD-1 gene expression has been linked to both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival; CTLA-4 gene expression has been correlated with OS. However, the serum bio – markers examined in this study showed no significant association with survival outcomes. The findings suggest PD-1 and CTLA-4 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells could serve as valuable prognostic biomarkers in HCC, with insights into malignancy risk, response to therapy, and OS.
