Comparison of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma (CC), and combined HCC-CC (CHC) with each other based on microarray dataset.

Liver carcinomas have been classified into three types: hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma (CC), and combined HCC-CC (CHC). We aim to find the common and different characteristic of these three types of liver cancer. The gene expression profiling of HCC, CC, and CHC were compared with each other, and enrichment pathways and processes in these three liver cancers were also identified. Using GSE15765 datasets downloaded from NCBI GEO database, the gene expression profiling of HCC, CC, and CHC were compared with each other (HCC compared with CC, HCC compared with CHC, and CC compared with HCC). Then, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in these three groups respectively, and three PPI networks were constructed for DEGs in each group. Subsequently, the clusters in these networks were identified and further analyzed by ClusterONE and MCODE. Finally, gene set enrichment analysis enrichment analysis was performed to illustrate altered pathways and processes for each type of liver cancer. A total of 112, 530, and 64 DEGs were identified in three groups, respectively, and three PPI networks were constructed respectively for the corresponding group. Through the cluster analysis, we found some new differential marker genes for distinguishing the difference between these three types of liver cancer. We also indicated that we can distinguish HCC with CC through altered pathways and processes. Our findings develop new biomarkers for categorizing the primary liver cancer and may improve patient prognosis of these cancers. However, further validation is required since our results were based on microarray data derived from a small sample size.