title: A preliminary study of plasma cyclase-associated protein 2 as a novel biomarker for early stage and alpha-fetoprotein negative hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cyclase-associated protein 2 (CAP2) has recently been suggested to be a candidate biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aim to investigate the application of CAP2 as a novel biomarker for HCC patients especially for those at early stage and are AFP-negative.
  
  
  METHODS
  The CAP2 and AFP plasma levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay in 86 HCC, 59 cirrhotic patients, and 30 normal individuals. Their correlation with HCC tumor behavior, disease stages, diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that both CAP2 and AFP plasma levels in HCC patients were significantly elevated when compared to cirrhosis and controls. CAP2 levels correlate well with HCC patient's histological grade, clinical stage and tumor size, but not with patient's age, gender, hepatitis B virus infection status and plasma AFP level. CAP2 had better sensitivity as compared to AFP (82.6% vs 59.3%) for general HCC, and early stage of HCC patients (78.6% vs 40.4%). In addition, CAP2 is able to complement AFP to predict 82.9% of HCC in AFP-negative patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that CAP2 is a novel biomarker for HCC patient, this may be especially useful for detection of early stage HCC and when plasma AFP level is negative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, PR China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, PR China.
authors.forename: Tenghao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, PR China.
authors.forename: Shuangyin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, PR China.
authors.forename: Lida
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, PR China.
authors.forename: Yangqiu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, PR China.
authors.forename: Xinhui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, PR China.
authors.forename: Song-Ze
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, PR China. Electronic address: yuxiuyang55@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yuxiu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C484231:CAP2 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins