Levels of serum markers of liver cancer: in a rat model of liver cancer versus elderly patients with liver cancer / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To detect the expression levels of serum alpha fetal protein (AFP),carbohydrate antigen 199(CA-199) and carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) in a rat model of liver cancer and elderly liver cancer patients,and explore its clinical significance.Methods A rat model of liver cancer was successfully established by intraperitoneal injection of a low dose of diethylnitrosamine (DEN).The expression levels of serum AFP,CA-199 and CEA in rats were determined and compared during the development of liver cancer.Blood samples were collected from elderly subjects with normal liver and elderly liver cancer patients(n=80,each).The expressions of serum AFP,CA-199 and CEA were determined and compared between healthy elderly patients and elderly liver cancer patients.Results Serum levels of AFP,CA-199 and CEA were higher in liver cancer rats than in normal rats [(4.21±1.32) μg/Lvs.(1.05±0.33) μg/L,(3.78±1.04) kU/L vs.(1.00±0.28) kU/L,(3.54±0.92) μg/Lvs.(1.10±0.37) μg/L,t=9.493,8.609,7.675,respectively,all P=0.000].Serum AFP,CA-199 and CEA levels were higher in elderly patients with liver cancer than in elderly subjects with normal liver [(66.89±9.33) μg/L vs.(2.56±1.09) μg/L,(116.89±43.33) kU/L vs.(5.56±1.26) kU/L,(5.83 ± 1.56) μg/L vs.(1.17 ± 0.51) μg/L(t=14.379,17.470,10.677,respectively,all P=0.000).The positive rate of joint detection of AFP,CA-199 and CEA was higher in elderly patients with liver cancer than in elderly subjects with normal liver [77.50％ (62/80) vs.1.25％(1/80),x2 =17.260,P=0.000].Conclusions The joint detection of AFP,CA-199 and CEA can help increase the diagnostic rate of liver cancer in elderly patients.