title: Simultaneous measurements of serum alpha-fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K absence for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma. South Tohoku District Study Group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the measurements of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and the protein induced by vitamin K absence (PIVKA-II) in 734 patients with chronic hepatitis (CH) and liver cirrhosis (LC) who had been followed-up for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum AFP and PIVKA-II were measured every month and abdominal ultrasonography was performed every 3 months. Youden's index (sensitivity + specificity -1) was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On an average follow-up period of 374.5 days, HCC was detected in three HBsAg-positive LC patients (10.0%/yr), four anti-HCV-positive CH patients (1.35%/yr), 21 anti-HCV-positive LC patients (7.8%/yr), and one patient with both HBsAg- and anti-HCV-positive LC (22.7%/yr). At the time of HCC detection, the size of HCC was 4.7+/-0.6 (mean +/- SD) cm in HBsAg-positive patients and 2.4+/-1.3 cm in anti-HCV-positive patents. Cut-off values of 20 ng/ml for AFP (Youden's index = 0.422) and 60 mAU/ml for PIVKA-II (Youden's index = 0.316) gave the highest index for each marker. When these two markers were combined, cut-off values of 40 ng/ml for AFP and 80 mAU/ml for PIVKA-II gave the highest index (Youden's index = 0.500, sensitivity = 65.5%, specificity = 85.5%, positive predictable value = 14.8%, negative predictable value = 98.3%). The levels of AFP or PIVKA-II increased within three months before the detection of HCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simultaneous measurements of serum AFP and PIVKA-II levels that are performed every 3 months are useful for detecting a developing HCC. The optimal cut-off values for AFP and PIVKA-II may be 40 ng/ml and 80 mAU/ml, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gama
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chida
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shinzawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toyota
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kasukawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011516:Prothrombin; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011498:Protein Precursors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D011516:Prothrombin