title: The Half-Life of Serum Des-Gamma-Carboxy Prothrombin Is a Prognostic Index of Survival and Recurrence After Liver Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
abstract: Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) is a representative tumor marker of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its values are occasionally very high in HCC cases. The current study aimed to clarify the postoperative half-life of DCP as a prognostic factor.
  
  
  
  This retrospective study enrolled 177 patients who had undergone liver resection as an initial treatment for HCC. Three DCP half-life groups were defined as follows: within the normal range, half-life shorter than 4 days, and half-life of 4 days or longer. The overall and recurrence-free survival rates were estimated and compared among the three groups.
  
  
  
  There were 140 patients in the group with a DCP half-life in the normal range, 19 patients in the group with a DCP half-life shorter 4 days, and 18 patients in the group with a DCP half-life of 4 days or longer. A multivariate analysis showed that only a postoperative DCP half-life of 4 days or longer was an independent prognostic risk factor for overall and recurrence-free survival (respective hazard ratios of 2.92 and 4.19; P < 0.001). The group with a preoperative DCP value lower than 1400 mAU/mL, the median value of DCP in the current study, included no patients from the group with a half-life shorter than 4 days. The overall and recurrence-free survival rates in the group with a half-life of 4 days or longer were significantly poorer (P < 0.001) than in the group that had a half-life shorter than 4 days (P = 0.002) with a preoperative DCP status of 1400 mAU/mL or more.
  
  
  
  The current study showed for the first time that a prolonged half-life of DCP is an independent prognostic risk factor for survival and recurrence after liver resection with curative intent.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan. yu.okamura@scchr.jp.
authors.forename: Yukiyasu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Teiichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ashida
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uesaka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006207:Half-Life; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D011516:Prothrombin; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011498:Protein Precursors; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D011516:Prothrombin