Serum Thymidine Kinase 1 Protein Concentration for Predicting Early Progression and Monitoring the Response to TACE in Hepatocellular Carcinomas: a Network meta-analysis

Figures & data

Figure 1. Flow chart of literature selection for the network meta-analysis.

Table 1. Characteristics of the included literatures in the meta-analysis.

Study (year)	Tumor free (n)	Benign/pre-HCCs(n)	HCCs				TACE therapy
			n	Male (n)	Female (n)	Age, mean (range)	Before	After
Ai M et al. (2012)	28		54	39	15	51 (45–63)	54	54
Ai M et al. (2015)	50		45	30	15	NA (35–79)	45	45
Chen ZR et al. (2019)	80		120	68	52	49.6 (34–66)
Ding CZ et al. (2015)	80		80	48	32	63.99 (NA)
Ding XL et al. (2019)		179	79			59.04 (37–80)
Feng Q (2016)	32	42	76
Gao FL et al. (2014)		13	100	78	22	NA (33–88)
Gao FL et al. (2017)	50	50	104	71	33	58.67 (38–90)
Hong YL (2013)	60		60	38	22	50.43 (44–68)	60	60
Jia SF et al. (2015)	40	40	40	20	20	42.93 (NA)
Li J (2017)	55	55	85	56	29	52.6 (26–83)
Li K et al. (2017)	30		33			53.6 (37–76)	33	33
Li ZP et al. (2016)	50	50	84	52	32	55.7 (34–65)
Li ZY et al. (2018) ^†			45	30	15	58.8 (48–77)	45	45
			45	27	18	57.0 (45–79)	45	45
Pei QF et al. (2017)	80	80	88	51	37	56.8 (32–68)
Qin JB et al. (2014)	63	85	112	72	40	54.5 (25–84)
Tang YP et al. (2016)	40	30	125	107	18	NA (23–79)
Wang F et al. (2017)	47	41	77	66	11	59.13 (46–79)
Wang Q et al. (2013)	50	50	50	27	23	62 (NA)
Wang SJ et al. (2018)			35	28	7	57.9 (35–80)	35	35
Xiao J et al. (2015) ^†			45	33	12	64.18 (NA)	45	45
			45	31	14	63.89 (NA)	45	45
Zhang SY et al. (2015)	104	109	116	75	41	57.8 (27–79)
Zhao L et al. (2014)	50		48			NA (39–77)
Zheng XW (2013)	80	58	56	45	11	NA (33–75)
Total	1069	882	1847	1121	538		407	407

† In this Table 1, there were two separate patient groups which were treated with different types of chemotherapy. Each patient group included 45 cases.

HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; NA: Not available; TACE: Transarterial chemoembolization.

Figure 2. Forest plots of TK1.

(A) Forest plots of healthy subjects and HCCs. (B) Forest plots of benign liver disease patients and HCCs. (C) Forest plots of HCCs before and one month after TACE.

*In Table 1, there were two separate patient groups which were treated with different types of chemotherapy. Each patient group included 45 cases. Black diamond indicates the mean value.

HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; IV: Inverse variance; SD: Standard deviation; TACE: Transarterial chemoembolization.

Figure 3. Concentration of TK1 in serum.

Comparison of STK1p level among controls, hepatic benign/pre-HCC and HCC (A); Comparison of STK1p level among controls, HH, HBV infections, HC and HCC (B); Comparison of STK1p levels before and after TACE treatment in HCC (C).

HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HC: Hepatic cirrhosis; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; HH: Hepatic hemangiomas; STK1p: Serum thymidine kinase 1 protein concentration; TACE: Transarterial chemoembolization.

Figure 4. (A) Plots of the sensitivity between the controls and HCC group.

(B) Plots of the sensitivity between benign + pre-HCC and HCC. (C) Plots of the sensitivity between before and after TACE treatment in HCC.

HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; TACE: Transarterial chemoembolization.

Table 2. Egger’s tests for the assessment of publication bias.

Standard effect	Coefficient	Standard error	T value	p > |t|	95% CI
Healthy vs HCC
Slope	-2.821	0.693	-4.07	0.001	-4.283 to -1.359
Bias	-2.658	4.287	-0.62	0.544	-11.703 to 6.388
Benign vs HCC
Slope	-1.186	0.678	-1.75	0.106	-2.663 to 0.291
Bias	-5.661	3.587	-1.58	0.140	-13.476 to 2.153
Before vs after treatment
Slope	3.695	0.649	5.70	0.001	2.161 to 5.228
Bias	-5.130	2.953	-1.74	0.126	-12.113 to1.853

HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma.