title: Acarboxy prothrombin (PIVKA-II) as a marker of hepatoblastoma in infants.
abstract: We evaluated plasma PIVKA-II (protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II, acarboxy prothrombin) levels in three infants with hepatoblastoma as a tumor marker. PIVKA-II levels were highly elevated in all three patients. Vitamin K administration, performed in two patients, resulted in only moderate reduction of PIVKA-II levels. Chemotherapy against tumor cells reduced the PIVKA-II levels without exception. Immunohistochemical study of the liver tissue indicated the presence of PIVKA-II in the hepatoblastoma cell. These findings suggest that elevated PIVKA-II in these patients was not due to nutritional vitamin K deficiency, but to excess production of tumor cells. A measurement of plasma PIVKA-II may be useful as a new marker of hepatoblastoma.
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000494:pharmacology; D014813:Vitamin K Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011498:Protein Precursors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D014812:Vitamin K; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D011516:Prothrombin