title: Serum B protein in hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis.
abstract: The present studt was completed to assess the clinical utility of B protein, as a tumor marker of hepatocellular carcinoma. The association of B protein and liver cirrhosis was also evaluated because hepatocellular carcinoma is usually combined with cirrhosis. The serum levels of B protein were studied by a Latex-agglutination test. One hundred and twenty-nine patients including 23 hepatocellular carcinoma, 50 hepatocellular carcinoma combined with liver cirrhosis, 40 liver cirrhosis, and 16 chronic hepatitis were tested. The positive rates of B protein in various diseases were as follows: 30.4% (7/23) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma; 68.6% (35/50) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma combined with cirrhosis; 82.5% (33/40) in patients with cirrhosis; and 62.5% (10/16) in patients with chronic hepatitis. When B protein was used as a tumor marker of hepatocellular carcinoma, the sensitivity (57.5%) and specificity (25%) were very low. Furthermore, patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, usually combined with cirrhosis; which carried the highest positive rate on B protein determination. This also limited clinical utilization of B protein as a tumor marker of hepatocellular carcinoma. Moreover, there was no correlation of B protein with the serum alpha-fetoprotein level or tumor size. On the contrary, positive correlation of the B protein level with Child's staging (Tau-c value = 0.392, p = 0.008), and death during follow-up (Tau-c value = 0.456, p = 0.021), were discovered in patients with cirrhosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: C055758:B protein (neoplasm); D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006023:Glycoproteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins