title: Des-γ-carboxyprothrombin may be a promising biomarker to determine the therapeutic efficacy of sorafenib for hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of des-γ-carboxyprothrombin (DCP) as a marker for the efficacy of sorafenib therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with advanced HCC treated with sorafenib were retrospectively evaluated, focusing on DCP levels and clinical characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  50 patients with advanced HCC were treated with sorafenib alone. In 25 of these patients, the serum levels of DCP were evaluated twice (pretreatment and within 2 weeks after starting therapy). The time to progression was significantly longer in patients in whom the DCP level at 2 weeks after starting sorafenib was ≥2-fold higher than the pretreatment levels, as compared with patients without an increase in DCP (p = 0.0296).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The serum level of DCP is a surrogate marker for tissue hypoxia and can be a predictive marker to assess the tumor response to sorafenib therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuomi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueshima
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takita
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tatsumi
authors.forename: Taisuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitai
authors.forename: Emi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Norihisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yada
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: Hobyung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Toshiharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001557:Benzenesulfonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D009536:Niacinamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011859:Radiography; D000077157:Sorafenib; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D011498:Protein Precursors; D011725:Pyridines; D009536:Niacinamide; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D011516:Prothrombin; D000077157:Sorafenib