Diagnostic utility of glypican-3 for hepatocellular carcinoma on liver needle biopsy.
OBJECTIVE
Glypican 3 (GPC3) is a heparan sulphate proteoglycan that shows elevated levels in the serum of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but not in healthy blood donors or patients with benign liver disease. This study explores the value of GPC3 expression for diagnosis of HCC by immunohistochemistry in liver needle biopsy specimens.


METHODS
Archival material of liver needle biopsies from 54 patients with HCC, nine with focal nodular hyperplasia or focal liver cell dysplasia, five with cirrhosis, seven with hepatitis B or unremarkable liver tissue, seven with cholangiocarcinoma, and 30 with metastatic tumours, was retrieved for immunohistochemical staining with GPC3 antibody and appropriate positive and negative controls.


RESULTS
Forty-five out of 54 cases of HCC showed positive GPC3 staining (83.4%). In contrast, all 58 non-HCC cases of liver biopsies, including focal nodular hyperplasia, focal liver cell dysplasia, cirrhosis, hepatitis B or unremarkable liver tissue, cholangiocarcinoma and metastatic tumours, were negative for GPC3. The sensitivity and specificity of GPC3 in HCCs were 83.4% and 100%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
GPC3 is a valuable diagnostic marker for diagnosing HCC on liver needle biopsy. It can be used to distinguish HCC from other benign hepatic conditions and metastatic tumours in the liver.
Wang
Feng Hua
FH
Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yip
Yuk Ching
YC
Zhang
Meng
M
Vong
Heong Ting
HT
Chan
Kin Iong
KI
Wai
Kit Cheng
KC
Wen
Jian Ming
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D053673:Glypicans / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053673:Glypicans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins