Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer globally. HCC is the third most common cause of cancer mortality. The development of HCC is a multistep and complex process. Multiple environmental risk factors, including chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, cirrhosis, carcinogen exposure, and a variety of genetic factors contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis. The reversion-inducing-cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) down-regulation has been confirmed in numerous human cancers and is clinically associated with metastasis. This study investigates the potential associations of RECK single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with HCC susceptibility and clinicopathologic characteristics in HCV Egyptian patients. Methodology: This study was conducted on a total number of 110 participants admitted to National Hepatology & Tropical Medicine Research Institute. The participants of this study were divided into three groups (30 HCV patients, 30 HCC patients and 30 liver cirrhosis (LC) patients) in addition to 20 healthy individuals as control group were analyzed for RECK SNP (rs16932912) genotyping using real-time. Results: RECK rs16932912 mutant genotypes GG/AG showed no significant value in HCC compared to wild type (P= 0.373). Mutant genotype was higher in liver cirrhosis group than other groups (P=0.001). High significant levels of ALT, AST, AFP, ALB (P=<0.01) among the rs16932912 mutant AG/AA genotypes versus wild GG genotype. Conclusion: Our study showed that the presence of A/G genotype was associated with prognosis in HCV-HCC and HCV-LC patients.
Keywords:RECK gene, HCV, HCC, LC.