Hepato Gastroenterol
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Hepato Gastroenterol · Nov 2000
Utility of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the screening of patients with virus-related chronic liver disease: does different viral etiology influence AFP levels in HCC? A study in 350 western patients.
Dosage of serum AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) is widely used for HCC screening in patients with chronic liver disease. Virus-related chronic liver disease is the main cause of cirrhosis and HCC in Western and Far Eastern countries, but the relationship between viral etiology and AFP levels in HCC is still unclear. The aim of this study was to verify, in Western patients with post-viral chronic liver disease, the usefulness of AFP dosage for the detection of HCC, and the influence of viral etiology on AFP levels in HCC. ⋯ Serum AFP levels in HCC patients are not influenced by virus B or C hepatitis pattern. AFP dosage should not be used for HCC diagnosis in non-cirrhotic patients. Male patients with cirrhosis should be regarded with a more "aggressive" screening program compared to females.
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Hepato Gastroenterol · Nov 2000
PIVKA-II during perioperative period in patients with hepato-biliary-pancreatic diseases.
In this study, we examined the influence of clinical treatments in the perioperative period upon PIVKA-II (plasma levels of protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatobiliary diseases. ⋯ PIVKA-II which is produced by hepatocellular carcinoma may be different from that produced by obstructive jaundice due to pancreatobiliary malignancies. The clinical treatments in perioperative period, such as the administration of antibiotics containing N-methyl-thiotetrazole or vitamin K, readily influence PIVKA-II levels. Therefore, abnormal PIVKA-II levels must be carefully interpreted in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatobiliary malignancies.