Role of serum total sialic acid in differentiating cholangiocarcinoma from hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to evaluate the clinical application of serum total sialic acid (TSA) in the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA).


METHODS
Serum TSA was determined by periodate-resorcinol microassay in 69 patients with CCA, 59 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 37 patients with cirrhosis, 61 patients with chronic hepatitis and 50 healthy blood donors.


RESULTS
The mean serum TSA concentration in CCA (2.41+/-0.70 mmol/L) was significantly higher than those of HCC, cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis and healthy blood donors (1.41+/-0.37 mmol/L, 1.13+/-0.31 mmol/L, 1.16+/-0.26 mmol/L, and 1.10+/-0.14 mmol/L, respectively; P<0.001). Based on ROC curve analysis, a cut-off point of 1.75 mmol/L discriminated between CCA and HCC with a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 82.6 %, 83.1 %, and 82.8 %, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on our results, serum TSA would be a useful marker for the differential diagnosis of CCA from HCC.
Kongtawelert
Prachya
P
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
Tangkijvanich
Pisit
P
Ong-Chai
Siriwan
S
Poovorawan
Yong
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, 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; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000097:blood*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid