RESEARCH ARTICLE Copy number gain of gran q

ng ry function, including progranulin, proepithelin, acrogranin, carcinoma (HCC), has been increasing globally in the Yung et al. BMC Cancer (2015) 15:264 DOI 10.1186/s12885-015-1294-xearly stage HCC usually asymptomatic, the majority ofChina Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleand PC cell-derived growth factor. GEP is a pluripotent growth factor important in fetal development, neuronal cell survival, wound healing and tumorigenesis [1-4]. Over-expression of GEP has been reported in a number of human cancers including breast, prostate, and ovary can-cers [5-7]. In addition to its classical well-known biological function on growth regulation, GEP has recently been past two decades. HCC is the second most frequent cause of cancer-related death worldwide [11]. Major risk factors for HCC development include infections with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), al-coholic liver diseases and fatty liver diseases. In China, with endemic HBV infection, HCC is the second leading cause of cancer death [12]. In Western countries, HCC incidence is increasing steadily [11]. Treatment of HCC remains a challenge, as curative partial hepatectomy and liver transplantation are only applicable for early stage patients [13]. However, with limited surveillance, an