Role of cytokine gene polymorphisms on prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma after radical surgery resection

• We evaluated the effect of 14 SNPs of cytokines genes on survival of resected HCC.
• We explored the association through experimental design and scene investigation.
• The TNF-α-863 (CA + CC) genotypes were revealed to be prolonged OS of resected HCC.
• No significant association was found between the 14 SNPs and RFS of resected HCC.
• Th1 or Th2 cytokine SNP combination analysis did not reveal effect on survival.

This study aimed to determine whether SNPs of cytokine genes influence survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after radical surgery resection. We evaluated 14 SNPs of eight cytokine genes in 263 patients treated with radical surgery resection of HCC. Categorical variables were compared by the χ2 test and Fisher's exact test. The Kaplan–Meier methods with log-rank test and Cox regression models were used to compare survival of resected HCC patients according to the genotype. Among the 14 studied SNPs of cytokine genes, only the TNF-α-863 (CA + CC) genotypes were revealed to be significant independent predictors of prolonged overall survival (OS) after HCC radical surgery resection (HR: 0.586, 95% CI: 0.355–0.968), considering for other clinical factors in a Cox proportional hazard model. Meanwhile, no significant association was found between the 14 SNPs and relapse-free survival (RFS) of resected HCC patients. In addition, combination analysis with the Th1 cytokine (IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-12B, TGF-β1) or Th2 cytokine (IL-6, IL-10) genetic polymorphisms by the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox multivariate analysis did not reveal any significant association between OS and RFS of resected HCC patients.