Lin, Chih-WenLin, Chih-CheLee, Po-HuangLo, Gin-HoHsieh, Pei-MinKoh, Kah WeeLee, Chih-YuanChen, Yao-LiDai, Chia-YenHuang, Jee-FuChuang, Wang-LongChen, Yaw-SenYu, Ming-Lung2017-12-062017Lin, C., C. Lin, P. Lee, G. Lo, P. Hsieh, K. W. Koh, C. Lee, et al. 2017. “The autophagy marker LC3 strongly predicts immediate mortality after surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.” Oncotarget 8 (54): 91902-91913. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.19763. http://dx.doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.19763.http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:34493174The remnant liver's ability to regenerate may affect post-hepatectomy immediate mortality. The promotion of autophagy post-hepatectomy could enhance liver regeneration and reduce mortality. This study aimed to identify predictive factors of immediate mortality after surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 535 consecutive HCC patients who had undergone their first surgical resection in Taiwan were enrolled between 2010 and 2014. Clinicopathological data and immediate mortality, defined as all cause-mortality within three months after surgery, were analyzed. The expression of autophagy proteins (LC3, Beclin-1, and p62) in adjacent non-tumor tissues was scored by immunohistochemical staining. Approximately 5% of patients had immediate mortality after surgery. The absence of LC3, hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dl), high alanine aminotransferase, and major liver surgery were significantly associated with immediate mortality in univariate analyses. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that absence of LC3 (hazard ratio/95% confidence interval: 40.8/5.14-325) and hypoalbuminemia (2.88/1.11-7.52) were significantly associated with immediate mortality. The 3-month cumulative incidence of mortality was 12.1%, 13.0%, 21.4% and 0.4%, respectively, among patients with absence of LC3 expression, hypoalbuminemia, both, or neither of the two. In conclusion, the absence of LC3 expression in adjacent non-tumor tissues and hypoalbuminemia were strongly predictive of immediate mortality after resection for HCC.en-USalbuminautophagyliver failurepost-hepatectomy immediate mortalitypredictorJournal Article2017-12-0610.18632/oncotarget.19763