Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and is advanced by severe viral hepatitis B or C (HBV or HCV). HCC is frequently diagnosed late requiring costly surgical resection or transplantation. Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) measurements, together with ultrasound are the most non-invasive methods for detection of HCC. Also, serum levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) vary in liver diseases, reflecting hepatic damage and hepatocellular dysfunction. The discovery of miRNAs circulating in the peripheral blood has opened new directions of research to identify new non-invasive markers for diagnosis of diseases . Objectives: To assess the serum level of HGF and AFP in patients with liver cirrhosis with HCV infection and those of HCC .Also, to evaluate the expression levels of circulating plasma miRNA-122 in Egyptian patients. Methodology: Anti-HCV and HCV RNA were detected by an enzyme immunoassay and the viral RNA mini kit respectively among patients with cirrhosis and HCC. Also, serum AFP and HGF concentration was measured by sandwich ELISA for patients with HCC, patients with cirrhosis and normal controls. Correlation between HGF levels AFP and biochemical (transaminases, prothrombin activity, albumin, bilirubin), or virological (hepatitis C virus load) parameters was analyzed. . Expression level of miRNA-122 in plasma using RT-PCR were determined. Results: The serum AFP level was significantly elevated in cirrhotic and HCC patients in comparison to the control, with the highest level in the HCC group. On the other hand, the HGF level was significantly higher in HCC group than patients with cirrhosis. For HGF, the sensitivity and specificity were better than AFP (95% and 80% respectively). MiRNA-122 showed significant elevation in patients with cirrhosis groups and HCC group (P = 0.001) in comparison to the control group. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for miRNA-122 yielded 73% sensitivity and 96 % specificity for the differentiation of HCC patients from non-HCC at a cutoff 0.165. Conclusion: HGF was better than AFP as noninvasive biomarkers for the detection of HCC in HCV cirrhotic patients. As its specificity was 96 %. MiRNA-122 can be used as novel non-invasive biomarker for monitoring HCV related disease progression.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
