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Spatial immune scoring system predicts hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence

Author

Listed:
  • Gengjie Jia

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences)

  • Peiqi He

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Tianli Dai

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Denise Goh

    (Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR))

  • Jiabei Wang

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Mengyuan Sun

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Felicia Wee

    (Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR))

  • Fuling Li

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Jeffrey Chun Tatt Lim

    (Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR))

  • Shuxia Hao

    (Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences)

  • Yao Liu

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Tony Kiat Hon Lim

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    Duke-NUS Medical School)

  • Nye-Thane Ngo

    (Duke-NUS Medical School)

  • Qingping Tao

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Wei Wang

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Ahitsham Umar

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Björn Nashan

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Yongchang Zhang

    (The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Central South University)

  • Chen Ding

    (Fudan University)

  • Joe Yeong

    (Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR)
    Singapore General Hospital
    Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR)
    National University of Singapore)

  • Lianxin Liu

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Cheng Sun

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

Abstract

Given the high recurrence rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) post-resection1–3, improved early identification of patients at high risk for post-resection recurrence would help to improve patient outcomes and prioritize healthcare resources4–6. Here we observed a spatial and HCC recurrence-associated distribution of natural killer (NK) cells in the invasive front and tumour centre from 61 patients. Using extreme gradient boosting and inverse-variance weighting, we developed the tumour immune microenvironment spatial (TIMES) score based on the spatial expression patterns of five biomarkers (SPON2, ZFP36L2, ZFP36, VIM and HLA-DRB1) to predict HCC recurrence risk. The TIMES score (hazard ratio = 88.2, P

Suggested Citation

  • Gengjie Jia & Peiqi He & Tianli Dai & Denise Goh & Jiabei Wang & Mengyuan Sun & Felicia Wee & Fuling Li & Jeffrey Chun Tatt Lim & Shuxia Hao & Yao Liu & Tony Kiat Hon Lim & Nye-Thane Ngo & Qingping Ta, 2025. "Spatial immune scoring system predicts hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence," Nature, Nature, vol. 640(8060), pages 1031-1041, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:640:y:2025:i:8060:d:10.1038_s41586-025-08668-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08668-x
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