Evaluation of plasma osteopontin level as a biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients

Hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] is a major health problem worldwide. Up to 80% of HCCs develop against a background of cirrhosis of the liver, and although we believe that surveillance of the at-risk cirrhotic population could aid earlier detection of the disease and decrease the cancer-related mortality rate, our this success is limited by the lack of sensitive biomarkers. To evaluate plasma osteopontin level as a potential marker of HCC compared with alpha fetoprotein. This study was conducted on 80 patients classified into two groups [HCC group n=40] and chronic liver disease group n=40], in addition to 30 age-matched and sexmatched healthy participants as a control group. HCC was diagnosed histologically or by imaging. Plasma alpha fetoprotein and plasma osteopontin levels were quantitatively determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Plasma osteopontin level was significantly higher in patients with HCC compared with chronic liver disease and control participants [P<0.01]. Osteopontin at the best cutoff value [325.5 micro g/ml] had sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 80%, positive predictive value of 85.3%, and negative predictive value of 82.7% for detection of HCC cases [area under the curve=0.876]. Osteopontin level was not correlated to a fetoprotein level. Comparing osteopontin with a fetoprotein for prediction of patients with HCC, alpha fetoprotein at a cut-off value of 200 micro g/ml failed to predict 21 patients [52.5%], of whom 16 patients [76%] would be diagnosed by elevated osteopontin above 325 micro g/ml [cut-off value]. OPN is clearly a potential diagnostic marker for HCC. Osteopontin level of 325 micro g/ml was proposed as a significant cut-off value for the diagnosis of HCC

Serum vascular endothelial growth factor in hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation to portal vein thrombosis and other disease characteristics

Vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] is the most potent angiogenic factor known so far and it plays an important role in tumor biology. Elevated level of VEGF has been associated with poor prognosis in many cancers; however significance in hepatocellular carcinoma is still controversial. Was to evaluate serum VEGF level in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with or without portal vein thrombosis [PVT] compared to liver cirrhosis patients and healthy subjects and to study possible relation of other clinical and laboratory findings to VEGF level. Serum VEGF level was measured in 20 cirrhotic patients complicated with HCC and PVT, 20 cirrhotic patients complicated with HCC with no portal vein thrombosis, another 20 cirrhotic patients matched for Child-Pugh score 20 he1thy subjects matched for age and sex. VEGF level was compared across different groups, its level was evaluated hug to tumour size, Okuda stage, Child-Pugh class and etiology of liver disease. Serum VEGF was not significantly different between HCC patients with or without PVT, neither a significant as found between HCC patients and liver cirrhosis patients. Yet VEGF level was significantly higher in all cases of liver cirrhosis compared to control subjects. No significant relation was found between serum VEGF level and any of: tumour size, Okuda stage. Alpha fetoprotein, Child-Pugh class or etiology of liver disease. VEGF level is elevated in patients with liver cirrhosis even prior to the emergence HCC