title: Arginase-1 is a more sensitive marker than HepPar-1 and AFP in differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma from nonhepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from metastatic tumors is a challenging issue, especially in differential diagnosis between poorly differentiated HCC and metastasis tumors. Expression of Arg-1, HepPar-1, and α-fetoprotein (AFP) in 78 cases of HCC, 34 cases of metastatic tumors, and 228 cases of nonhepatocellular tumors of surgical specimens is measured by immunohistochemistry. Arg-1 immunoreactivity was detected in 75 of 78 (96.1 %) cases of HCC, whereas HepPar-1 and AFP immunoreactivity was detected in 63 of 78 (80.7 %) and 40 of 78 (51.3 %) cases of HCC, respectively. HepPar-1 and AFP expression was observed in three of 34 (8.8 %) cases and one of 34 (2.9 %) cases of metastatic tumors, respectively. In contrast, Arg-1 expression was absent in all 34 (0 %) cases of metastatic tumors. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of Arg-1 in distinguishing HCC from metastatic tumors and nonhepatocellular tumors are 96.1, 99.6, 98.7, and 98.8 % compared with 80.7, 92.0, 75.0, and 94.1 % for HepPar-1 and 51.3, 97.7, 87.0, and 87.1 % for AFP, respectively. Arg-1 is a more sensitive and better specific marker for HCC compared with HepPar-1 and AFP, indicating that Arg-1 can be easily applied in distinguishing HCC from metastatic tumors.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, 137 South Liyushan Road, Urumqi, 830054, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenli
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Xinxia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gulinar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abulajiang
authors.forename: Qiaoxin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D001119:Arginase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C097353:AFP protein, human; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C000600022:HepPar-1 protein, human; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; C574619:ARG1 protein, human; D001119:Arginase