Variations in the AURKA Gene: Biomarkers for the Development and Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a liver malignancy and a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide. AURKA (aurora kinase A) is a mitotic serine/threonine kinase that functions as an oncogene and plays a critical role in hepatocarcinogenesis. We report on the association between 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the AURKA gene (rs1047972, rs2273535, rs2064836, and rs6024836) and HCC susceptibility as well as clinical outcomes in 312 patients with HCC and in 624 cancer-free controls. We found that carriers of the TT allele of the variant rs1047972 were at greater risk of HCC compared with wild-type (CC) carriers. Moreover, carriers of at least one A allele in rs2273535 were less likely to progress to stage III/IV disease, develop large tumors or be classified into Child-Pugh class B or C. Individuals with at least one G allele at AURKA SNP rs2064863 were at lower risk of developing large tumors or progressing to Child-Pugh grade B or C. Our results indicate that genetic variations in the AURKA gene may serve as an important predictor of early-stage HCC and be a reliable biomarker for the development of HCC.