title: Alpha 1-antitrypsin in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and chronic active hepatitis.
abstract: Forty-seven Italian patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 58 patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) were screened for alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1 AT) levels and types and compared with a previously screened healthy Italian population. Serum alpha 1 AT concentrations were significantly raised among the HCC patients compared to the controls, whereas the CAH group showed no differences. The incidence of non-M phenotypes (MS, MZ and S) is significantly higher in patients with HCC than in the CAH group and the controls. The mean age of HCC patients with a non-M phenotype is significantly lower than the mean age of HCC patients with an M phenotype.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin