Loss of FBXW 7 expression is associated with poor prognosis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Aim FBXW 7 acts as a tumor suppressor gene by targeting several oncogenic regulators of proliferation, growth and apoptosis for proteasomal degradation. However, the significance of this protein is not yet well understood in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma ( IHCC ). In this study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between FBXW 7 expression and clinicopathological variables in IHCC patients. Methods Thirty‐one patients with IHCC who underwent hepatic resection were enrolled. FBXW 7 expression in tumor tissue was determined by immunohistochemistry and patients were divided into two groups, the FBXW 7 high expression group ( n  = 11) and the FBXW 7 low expression group ( n  = 20). We then compared clinicopathological variables including prognosis between the high and low expression groups in tumor tissue. Results FBXW 7 expression was significantly correlated with staging ( P  = 0.006), and tended to correlate with lymph node metastasis. The FBXW 7 low expression group had significantly poorer prognosis compared with the FBXW 7 high expression group ( P  = 0.020); 3‐year survival rates were 29.4% and 72.7%, respectively. Furthermore, the disease‐free survival rate in the FBXW 7 low expression group was significantly worse than in the FBXW 7 high expression group ( P  = 0.022). On multivariate analysis, intrahepatic metastasis ( P  = 0.006) was a significant independent prognostic factor for disease‐free survival, and FBXW 7 low expression tended to be an independent prognostic factor for both overall ( P  = 0.067) and disease‐free survival ( P  = 0.083). Conclusion Our results confirmed that low expression of FBXW 7 in IHCC correlates with tumor progression and poor prognosis in IHCC .