Clinical significance of AFP and PIVKA-II responses for monitoring treatment outcomes and predicting prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Recently, the utility of tumor markers in the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) field has received a good deal of attention. Here, we review and summarize the results of studies on the roles played by the α -fetoprotein (AFP) and prothrombin induced by the absence of vitamin K or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) responses in terms of the monitoring of outcomes and prediction of prognosis after various HCC treatments.


METHODS
Studies lodged in PUBMED and that satisfied our inclusion criteria were reviewed.


RESULTS
We reviewed 12 studies measuring both AFP and PIVKA-II responses in HCC patients treated in various ways. The results are presented by treatment modality.


CONCLUSIONS
Measurement of AFP and PIVKA II marker levels before and after HCC treatment is clinically useful in monitoring of treatment outcomes and prognosis and in predicting recurrence and survival.
Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea ; Institute of Gastroenterology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea.
Hana
H
Park
Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea ; Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea ; Yonsei Liver Cancer Special Clinic, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jun Yong
JY
Park
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000235:genetics*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
C097353:AFP protein, human; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011498:Protein Precursors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D014812:Vitamin K; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D011516:Prothrombin