Monitoring of lectin-reactive alpha-fetoproteins in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated using transcatheter arterial embolization.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the value of lectin-reactive alpha-fetoprotein (LR-AFP) levels for assessing therapeutic effects and for predicting prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated using transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE).


METHODS
Twenty-nine patients with HCC were studied.


METHODS
LR-AFP levels were measured using lectin-affinity electrophoresis coupled with antibody-affinity blotting. Patients who were initially LR-AFP-positive were divided into those who became negative after TAE and those who remained positive. Patients were also classified into groups showing a reduction in total AFP levels of 75% or more and those showing a reduction of less than 75% and into groups whose tumour size was reduced by 50% or more and those whose tumour size was reduced by less than 50%.


RESULTS
Both the length of time between TAE and the recurrence of HCC and the cumulative survival rate differed significantly between the group of patients who became negative after TAE and that which remained positive. However, no significant differences in these parameters were found between the patients in the two classes for total AFP levels or tumour size.


CONCLUSIONS
LR-AFP levels appeared to be more useful for predicting clinical results than the serum total AFP value or changes in tumour size.
Yamashita
F
F
Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka-ken, Japan.
Tanaka
M
M
Satomura
S
S
Tanikawa
K
K
D000368:Aged; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D037102:Lectins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D016685:Mitomycin; D004317:Doxorubicin