title: Clinical Significance of Plasma Osteopontin Level as a Biomarker of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biomarkers of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are helpful in screening, diagnosis and follow up of cases. Osteopontin (OPN) is a glycoprotein secreted by osteoblasts, osteoclasts, macrophages and T cells, and is over-expressed in a variety of tumors, including carcinomas of liver, stomach, breast,lung, colon,and prostate. So, the aim of this study was to verify the possibility of using the plasma Osteopontin level as a biomarker for diagnosis of HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 70 subjects divided into three groups: group I had 30 patients with HCC (proved by histopathology or combined spiral CT and elevated alpha-fetoprotein) on top of HCV, group II had 30 patients with HCV infection and group III had 10 healthy subjects serving as control. Osteopontin level was measured in plasma of the studied subjects by ELISA, serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level was also measured by EIA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Osteopontin levels were significantly elevated in patients with HCC and in HCV patients in comparison to control group (P: 0.005). There was significant correlation between OPN and AFP levels (P: 0.00). The sensitivity and specificity of OPN for selective detection of HCC group over the non-HCC group (HCV group and healthy control group) were73% and 54%, respectively, at a cut-off value of 128.5 ng/mL. Plasma OPN levels directly correlated with the tumor number but not with the size of the tumor (P: 0.00).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma OPN level appears to be an additional biomarker for HCC detection.
authors: Clinical Pathology Dept., Faculty Of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Mona
authors: M
authors: Salem
authors: Clinical Pathology Dept., Faculty Of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Sahar Abdel
authors: SA
authors: Atti
authors: Tropical Medicine and Hepatology Dept., Faculty Of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Maisa El
authors: ME
authors: Raziky
authors: Tropical Medicine and Hepatology Dept., Faculty Of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Samar Kamal
authors: SK
authors: Darweesh
authors: Clinical Pathology Dept., Faculty Of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Marwa El
authors: ME
authors: Sharkawy
keywords: Alphafetoprotein; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Osteopontin; Tumor marker