A study on the correlation between longitudinal inflammatory biomarkers and postoperative prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Aim To evaluate the prognostic significance of serial measurements of Galectin-3, heat shock protein 90α (HSP90α), and thymidine kinase 1 (TK1), individually and in combination, for predicting recurrence, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Patients and methods: This retrospective study included 122 patients who underwent radical resection for HCC and 122 healthy controls. Serum levels of Galectin-3, HSP90α, and TK1 were measured preoperatively and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively. Recurrence and survival were monitored over 2 years.Results Preoperative levels of all three markers (Galectin-3, HSP90α, and TK1) were elevated in HCC patients compared to controls (p < 0.001). Marker levels declined postoperatively but rebounded at 3 and 6 months. Patients with high marker levels at 3 and 6 months had significantly shorter DFS and OS (p < 0.05). The combined signature showed superior predictive performance for poor prognosis, with AUCs of 0.899 and 0.954 at 3 and 6 months, respectively, outperforming any single marker.Conclusion Longitudinal monitoring of Galectin-3, HSP90α, and TK1, particularly at 3 and 6 months post- surgery, provides significant prognostic value for HCC patients. The combined assay offers a powerful tool for identifying patients at high risk of early recurrence.