Parameters MIP-1a expression* CD68+TAM count (/x400 field) CD105- MVD(/x200 field)   "r" value Pvalue "r" value P value "r" value Pvalue Serum AST (U/L) 0.221 0.428 0.301 0.275 0.289 0.296 Serum ALT (U/L) 0.333 0.225 0.348 0.204 0.303 0.273 Serum GGT (U/L) 0.126 0.655 0.149 0.596 0.121 0.666 Serum AFP (ng/ml) 0.489 0.065 0.279 0.314 0.276 0.320 Child-Pugh score* 0.326 0.236 0.133 0.637 0.175 0.533 MELD score* 0.260 0.349 0.196 0.484 0.317 0.249 Serum MIP-1a (pg/ml) 0.671 0.006 0.410 0.129 0.401 0.138 HCC diameter (cm) 0.730 0.002 0.642 0.010 0.641 0.010 CLIP stage* 0.637 0.011 0.602 0.018 0.625 0.013 HCC grade* 0.728 0.002 0.838 <0.001 0.762 0.001 HAI grade -0.314 0.255 -0.206 0.461 -0.165 0.556 Steatosis* -0.203 0.468 -0.224 0.422 -0.175 0.533 CD68+ TAM count 0.844 <0.001 - - - - CD105-MVD 0.615 0.015 0.917 <0.001 - - AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; GGT: Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase; AFP :Alpha-fetoprotein; MELD: Model for End-stage Liver Disease; MIP-1α: Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1α; CLIP: Cancer of the Liver Italian Program; HAI: Histological Activity Index. *Spearman’s rank test

Table 4: Statistical correlations (“r” value) between Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1α (MIP-1α) expression, CD68-positive Tumour-Associated Macrophage (TAM) count and CD105-MicroVessel Density (MVD) in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) and other studied parameters.