Table 1 Association of the presence of TIE2-expressing monocytes (TEMs) at the tumor-infiltrating front (TIF) with clinicopathological characteristics of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as determined by the chi-squared (χ2) test
Variable | TEM+/TIF | TEM−/TIF | p |
|---|---|---|---|
No. of patients | 39 | 19 | Â |
Patient- and tumor-related variables | |||
  Patient age, years | 0.094 | ||
    ≤ 60 | 17 (43.6%) | 4 (21.1%) |  |
    > 60 | 22 (56.4%) | 15 (78.9%) |  |
  Gender | 0.029 | ||
    Female | 27 (69.2%) | 18 (94.7%) |  |
    Male | 12 (30.8%) | 1 (5.3%) |  |
  Multiple tumor nodules | 0.862 | ||
    Positive | 9 (23.1%) | 4 (21.1%) |  |
    Negative | 30 (76.9%) | 15 (78.9%) |  |
  Tumor size, mm | 0.319 | ||
    ≤ 50 | 6 (15.4%) | 5 (26.3%) |  |
    > 50 | 33 (84.6%) | 14 (73.7%) |  |
  Angioinvasion | 0.113 | ||
    Positive | 23 (59.0%) | 7 (36.8%) |  |
    Negative | 16 (41.0%) | 12 (63.2%) |  |
  Lymphangiosis carcinomatosa | 0.727 | ||
    Positive | 12 (30.8%) | 5 (26.3%) |  |
    Negative | 27 (69.2%) | 14 (73.7%) |  |
  Histologic differentiation | 0.015 | ||
    Well | 4 (10.3%) | 7 (36.8%) |  |
    Moderate/poor | 35 (89.7%) | 12 (63.2%) |  |
  Pathologic T stage | 0.631 | ||
    T1/T2 | 19 (48.7%) | 10 (55.6%) |  |
    T3/T4 | 20 (51.3%) | 8 (44.4%) |  |
  Pathologic N stage | 0.315 | ||
    Positive | 2 (5.1%) | 0 (0.0%) |  |
    Negative | 37 (94.9%) | 19 (100.0%) |  |
Operative variables | |||
  R status | 0.464 | ||
    Positive | 7 (17.9%) | 2 (10.5%) |  |
    Negative | 32 (82.1%) | 17 (89.5%) |  |
Variables of patient outcome | |||
  Local tumor recurrence | 0.005 | ||
    Positive | 16 (41.0%) | 1 (5.3%) |  |
    Negative | 23 (59.0%) | 18 (94.7%) |  |
  Overall tumor recurrence | 0.043 | ||
    Positive | 19 (48.7%) | 4 (21.1%) |  |
    Negative | 20 (51.3%) | 15 (78.9%) |  |
  Metastases | 0.667 | ||
    Positive | 8 (20.5%) | 3 (15.8%) |  |
    Negative | 31 (79.5%) | 16 (84.2%) |  |