Increased serum granulocyte colony stimulating factor in Turkish hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the serum levels of G-CSF in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and to compare with values in healthy individuals.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 30 controls were included in the study. Histological confirmation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was performed by core needle biopsy and patients with cirrhosis were classified according to the Child-Pugh score. The serum G-CSF levels of individuals in both groups were calculated as pg/ml and compared for Child-Pugh Class A, B and C patients with HCC.


RESULTS
Median ages of patients with HCC and control group individuals were 58 (range:47-78) and 56 (range 45-70), respectively. Sex distributions were approximately equal. The mean serum level of G-CSF in patients with HCC was 199.4-/+112.2, as compared to 24.0-/+8.8 in the controls (p <0.001). In addition, on subgroup analysis, the serum levels of G-CSF were increased with Child-Pugh Class A, B and C, although without statistical significance (p= 0.253).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased levels of G-CSF are observed in patients with HCC. Further investigations are necessary to clarify the mechanism of G-CSF production and its effects on outcomes.
Kaya
Ali Osman
AO
Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. aosmankaya@gmail.com
Coskun
Ugur
U
Sancak
Banu
B
Buyukberber
Suleyman
S
Yildiz
Ramazan
R
Gulbahar
Ozlem
O
Benekli
Mustafa
M
Ozenirler
Seren
S
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D014421:Turkey
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor