Expression of liver cancer stem cell markers and association with recurrence and survival in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Postoperative recurrence and cancer-related mortality remain significant challenges following curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Conventional clinicopathological parameters inadequately capture tumor biological heterogeneity; therefore, reliable tissue biomarkers that reflect stemness-associated aggressiveness are required for early postoperative risk stratification. AIM To evaluate liver cancer stem cell (CSC) markers (EpCAM, CD133, CK19, and CD44) in HCC and thei