Surreal illustration of liver cancer recurrence influenced by Midkine.

Midkine: A Key Predictor in Liver Cancer Recurrence?

Theo Raines in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"New research spotlights how Midkine expression can forecast outcomes in combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma, offering new paths for personalized treatments."

Combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (CHCC-CC), a rare form of liver cancer, presents a significant challenge due to its poor post-surgical prognosis. While complete tumor resection remains the primary curative option, predicting recurrence has been difficult. Recent studies have focused on identifying biomarkers that can help refine prognosis and guide treatment decisions.

Midkine (MK), a heparin-binding growth factor, has emerged as a potential prognostic biomarker in several cancers. Normally undetectable in adult tissues, MK is significantly expressed during embryogenesis and in various human cancers, influencing tumor growth, survival, and metastasis. However, its role in resectable CHCC-CC has been largely unexplored.

A new study investigates the prognostic value of Midkine expression in patients with resectable CHCC-CC, assessing its ability to predict recurrence and survival. By exploring the relationship between MK expression and clinicopathological characteristics, this research aims to identify a potential biomarker that could improve outcomes in this rare and aggressive cancer.

How Midkine Expression Influences CHCC-CC Outcomes

Surreal illustration of liver cancer recurrence influenced by Midkine.

The study retrospectively analyzed 52 patients with resectable CHCC-CC who underwent curative hepatic resections. Researchers assessed Midkine (MK) expression using immunohistochemical studies on post-surgical specimens. The findings revealed that MK was expressed in 30 of the 52 patients, indicating a notable presence of the protein in a significant portion of the study group. Statistical analyses were then conducted to determine the relationship between MK expression and clinical outcomes, such as disease-free survival and overall survival.

The research indicated that patients with positive MK expression had significantly poorer two-year disease-free survival and three-year overall survival rates. Specifically, multivariate analysis confirmed that positive MK expression independently predicted recurrence, highlighting its potential as a prognostic marker. This suggests that assessing MK expression could help identify patients at higher risk of recurrence, enabling more tailored and aggressive post-surgical treatment strategies.

Prognostic Indicator: Positive Midkine expression predicts poorer prognosis in patients with resectable CHCC-CC.
Survival Rates: Patients with positive MK expression showed significantly lower two-year disease-free and three-year overall survival rates.
Independent Predictor: Multivariate analysis confirmed that positive MK expression independently predicts recurrence.

These findings suggest that Midkine could play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of CHCC-CC. Given its known functions in promoting cell growth, tumor cell survival, and metastasis in other cancers, its overexpression in CHCC-CC may contribute to disease progression and recurrence. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms by which MK influences CHCC-CC, but these initial results highlight its potential as a therapeutic target.

Implications and Future Directions

This study underscores the potential of Midkine as a prognostic biomarker in CHCC-CC, offering a new avenue for identifying high-risk patients and tailoring treatment strategies. Assessing MK expression post-surgery could help clinicians make more informed decisions about adjuvant therapies and surveillance protocols.

While these findings are promising, further research is needed to validate the role of Midkine in CHCC-CC and explore its potential as a therapeutic target. Future studies could investigate the mechanisms by which MK influences tumor behavior, as well as the efficacy of MK-targeted therapies in improving outcomes.

Ultimately, a deeper understanding of Midkine's role in CHCC-CC could lead to more personalized and effective treatments, improving the prognosis for patients with this challenging cancer. As research continues, Midkine may emerge as a key player in the fight against liver cancer, offering new hope for improved survival and quality of life.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1186/s12885-018-4146-7, Alternate LINK

Title: Positive Expression Of Midkine Predicts Early Recurrence And Poor Prognosis Of Initially Resectable Combined Hepatocellular Cholangiocarcinoma

Subject: Cancer Research

Journal: BMC Cancer

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Ming-Chun Ma, Yi-Ju Chen, Tai-Jan Chiu, Jui Lan, Chien-Ting Liu, Yi-Ching Chen, Hsin-Ho Tien, Yen-Yang Chen

Published: 2018-02-27

Everything You Need To Know

What is Midkine, and what role does it play in cancer?

Midkine (MK) is a heparin-binding growth factor that is often undetectable in adult tissues but is expressed during embryogenesis and in various human cancers, including combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (CHCC-CC). In the context of CHCC-CC, Midkine expression acts as a potential prognostic biomarker, helping to predict the likelihood of cancer recurrence and influencing patient survival rates. Assessing Midkine expression can provide valuable insights into the aggressiveness of the cancer.

How was Midkine expression measured in the study?

The study analyzed patients with resectable combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (CHCC-CC). The research assessed Midkine (MK) expression using immunohistochemical studies on post-surgical specimens from 52 patients who underwent curative hepatic resections. The presence or absence of Midkine expression was then correlated with clinical outcomes like disease-free survival and overall survival. The study's findings are significant as they show a correlation between Midkine expression and the likelihood of cancer recurrence and overall survival rates.

What does it mean if Midkine is expressed in a patient with combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (CHCC-CC)?

If Midkine (MK) is found to be expressed in a patient with combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (CHCC-CC), it suggests a poorer prognosis. Patients with positive MK expression showed significantly lower two-year disease-free and three-year overall survival rates. Multivariate analysis confirmed that positive MK expression independently predicts recurrence. This means that the presence of Midkine is linked to a higher risk of the cancer returning after surgery. The study suggests the potential for more aggressive treatments if Midkine expression is present.

Why is Midkine expression important in the context of this type of cancer?

Midkine (MK) expression is significant because it acts as a prognostic indicator in combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (CHCC-CC). Knowing if Midkine is expressed can help clinicians determine a patient's risk of cancer recurrence and survival. By identifying patients at higher risk, more aggressive treatments or closer monitoring can be implemented, improving outcomes for those diagnosed with CHCC-CC. It offers a way to personalize treatment.

What are the potential implications and next steps for Midkine research?

Future directions for research would include further investigation into how Midkine (MK) influences the pathogenesis of combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (CHCC-CC). The findings suggest it may be a therapeutic target. This could involve studying the mechanisms by which Midkine promotes tumor growth, survival, and metastasis. Further research could also explore the use of targeted therapies that interfere with Midkine's activity. Clinical trials might be done to look at the effectiveness of these treatments, and also more studies to validate its use for patient treatment.