Proaccelerin and prothrombin assays for detection of hepatocellular carcinoma

✍ Scribed by B. A. Runyon

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 349 KB
• Volume: 7
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0270-9139
• DOI: 10.1002/hep.1840070247

✦ Synopsis

A recent article by Kobayashi (1) reviews the screening methods available for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In an attempt to extend the range of tests available for detection of HCC, plasma levels of proaccelerin (Factor V), prothrombin (Factor 11), des-ycarboxyprothrombin (DCP) and a-fetoprotein (AFP) were determined as previously described (2, 3) in 57 patients with biopsy-proven HCC. Samples from 57 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and without HCC were used as controls. In patients with HCC, the mean levels of Factors V and I1 were 97 and 56%, respectively. In patients with cirrhosis, they were 43 and 4896, respectively.

Criterion A is defined as a Factor V level, exceeding the Factor I1 level by >30%. The presence of this criterion was significantly more common in patients with HCC as compared to controls (p c 0.001): Presence of Criterion A Absence of Criterion A HCC 34 23 Cirrhosis 3 54 Criterion B is defined as a normal (>75%) Factor V associated to a depressed ( ~7 5 % ) Factor 11. The presence of this criterion was significantly more frequent in patients with HCC as compared to controls (p < 0.001): Presence of Criterion B Absence of Criterion B -HCC 32 25 Cirrhosis 4 53 Presence of a Criterion A and/or of a Criterion B (Criterion C) was also significantly more common in HCC patients (p < 0.001): Presence of Criterion C Absence of Criterion C HCC 39 18 Cirrhosis 4 53

An AFP level [400 ng per ml (AFP+)] is generally considered as strongly in favor of HCC. In our study, we found no linkage (a = 0.05) between presence of Criterion C and AFP+: