title: Serum WFA+ -M2BP levels as a prognostic factor in patients with early hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing curative resection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum tumour markers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have less prognostic significance in early stage. Serum Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2-binding protein (WFA(+) -M2BP) levels are reportedly associated with hepatocarcinogenic potential in patients with chronic liver diseases. We investigated the prognostic significance of pretreatment serum WFA(+) -M2BP levels in patients with early-stage HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 240 patients who underwent hepatic resection for naïve Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) class 0 or A HCC were analysed. WFA(+) -M2BP and tumour markers for HCC were measured from serum obtained just prior to treatment. Post-operative recurrence and survival rates were compared according to these serum markers, tumour stage and Child-Pugh class.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was an association between serum WFA(+) -M2BP levels and the fibrosis grade of resected noncancerous liver tissue, whereas no association was found between WFA(+) -M2BP levels and tumour progression or liver function. In a multivariate analysis, pretreatment serum WFA(+) -M2BP level was associated with recurrence and survival, respectively, independent of HCC progression or fibrosis grade of resected noncancerous liver tissue. Recurrence rates after hepatic resection were significantly higher in patients with a pretreatment serum WFA(+) -M2BP ≥ 3.00 than those with a pretreatment serum WFA(+) -M2BP < 3.00 (P = 0.0038). Survival rates were lower in patients with a pretreatment serum WFA(+) -M2BP ≥ 3.00 than those with a pretreatment serum WFA(+) -M2BP < 3.00 (P = 0.0187).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum WFA(+) -M2BP level is a prognostic factor for recurrence and survival, in addition to tumour progression and liver function, in patients with early-stage HCC treated with curative hepatic resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Ogaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Ogaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumada
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Ogaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshifumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Ogaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaneoka
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Ogaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsuyuki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.affiliation: The Research Center for Hepatitis and Immunology, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korenaga
authors.affiliation: The Research Center for Hepatitis and Immunology, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mizokami
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Medical Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Narimatsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D034781:Receptors, N-Acetylglucosamine / Q000097:blood*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D034781:Receptors, N-Acetylglucosamine; C114782:TAA90K protein, human; C040129:wisteria lectin
keywords: Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2-binding protein; curative resection; hepatocellular carcinoma; recurrence; survival