FOXS 1 is a prognostic factor for hepatocellular carcinoma

Forkhead box (FOX) proteins control divergent and even opposing cell fate decision by regulating gene networks involved in cell cycle progression, proliferation and differentiation. However, the relation between FOXS1, a member of FOX proteins and neoplasms remains poorly defined. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the expression of FOXS1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and explore the relation of FOXS1 expression with clinical features and prognosis of HCC. mRNA expression of FOXS1 was detected in 29 fresh frozen tissues of HCC patients. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of FOXS1 in tumor samples from 90 HCC patients. The correlations between FOXS1 expression and clinicopathological factors and prognosis were evaluated. We found that FOXS1 expression was lower at both mRNA and protein levels in most HCC tissues than in normal liver tissues. FOXS1 expression was significantly correlated with tumor size, AJCC stage, and tumor differentiation. Moreover, decreased expression of FOXS1 was an important factor for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients. In conclusion, FOXS1 is a significant prognostic factor for HCC patients.