title: Diagnostic and prognostic role of serum glypican 3 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: α-Feto protein (AFP) is the widely used tumor marker in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic and prognostic validity of a novel marker, serum Glypican-3 (GPC3) and to compare AFP in patients with HCC. One hundred and twenty-eight patients (75 patients with HCC, 55 patients with cirrhosis, and 28 healthy controls) were included in this study. Cut-off value of GPC3 was 3.9 pg/ml. AFP was divided into four subgroups, according to cut-off values with 13, 20, 100, and 200 ng/ml. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of GPC3 and AFP13, AFP20, AFP100, AFP200 subgroups and also GPC3+AFP13, GPC3+AFP20 , GPC3+AFP100 , GPC3+AFP200 combinations were compared. Serum GPC3 levels were significantly higher in patients with HCC and cirrhosis compared with control subjects (P<0.05). The median serum GPC3 levels were 3.9 pg/ml in controls, 5.51 pg/ml in patients with cirrhosis, and 5.13 pg/ml in those with HCC. The median serum AFP levels were 1.37 ng/ml in controls, 2.32 ng/ml in cirrhotics, and 50.65 ng/ml in HCC patients. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of GPC3 was 61.33, 41.82, 58.97, and 44.43%, respectively. The values for AFP were 68.57, 94.55, 94.12, and 70.27%, respectively. There was no correlation between GPC3 levels and prognostic parameters. GPC3 is not a useful diagnostic and prognostic marker for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Ankara University, School of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erdal
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koçak
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tutkak
authors.forename: Zihni
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Karaeren
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yakut
authors.forename: Seyfettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Köklü
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D053673:Glypicans / Q000097:blood*; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053673:Glypicans; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins