Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tumor tissues and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) aggressiveness and survival.
Methods: We correlated the lncRNAs in tumor tissues with HCC survival and clinicopathological features based on Gene Expression Omnibus expression profile GSE36376.
Results: Eight lncRNAs and 240 HCC patients were included. Cox regression analysis indicated that HULC was a positive factor for HCC overall survival (HR = 0.885, 95% CI = 0.797-0.983, and P = 0.023) and disease-free survival time (HR = 0.913, 95% CI = 0.835-0.998, and P = 0.045). H19 and UCA1 were both demonstrated to be risk factors of HCC disease-free survival in multivariate Cox model (HR = 1.071, 95% CI = 1.01-1.137, and P = 0.022 and HR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.092-5.273, and P = 0.029, resp.). But Kaplan-Meier method showed no significant association between UCA1 and HCC disease-free survival (log rank P = 0.616). Logistic regression demonstrated that H19 was overexpressed in HBV-infected patients (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.008-1.29, and P = 0.037). HULC had a significant association with vascular invasion (OR = 0.648, 95% CI = 0.523-0.803, and P < 0.001). H19 and MEG3 were both considered to be risk factors for high AFP level (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.277-1.646, and P < 0.001 and OR = 1.613, 95% CI = 1.1-2.365, and P = 0.014, resp.).
Conclusions: Contributing to decreased susceptibility to vascular invasion, upregulation of HULC in tumor tissues was positively associated with HCC survival. In contrast, H19 overexpression might be risk factor for HCC aggressiveness and poor outcomes.