TY - JOUR
T1 - Value of serum C-reactive protein measurement in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma superimposed on liver cirrhosis
AU - Fabris, Carlo
AU - Pirisi, Mario
AU - Soardo, Giorgio
AU - Falleti, Edmondo
AU - Pezzetta, Francesca
AU - Vitulli, Daniela
AU - Toniutto, Pierluigi
AU - Bortolotti, Nadia
AU - Gonano, Fabio
AU - Bartoli, Ettore
PY - 1994/2
Y1 - 1994/2
N2 - We investigated whether, in Italian patients, C-reactive protein (CRP) determination could be considered a useful adjunct, complementary to α1-fetoprotein, in the detection of liver cancer. CRP was determined by particle-enhanced nephelometry in 171 subjects (102 male, 69 female). Fifty-five patients had mild chronic liver disease (CLD), 45 cirrhosis (CIR), 38 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); 33 subjects were healthy controls. Patients with HCC and CIR had higher CRP levels (P<0.05) than those found in patients with CLD and controls. CRP higher than 5 mg/l was found in 30/38 (78.9%) patients with HCC, 28/45 (62.2%) patients with CIR, 16/55 (29.1%) patients with CLD (χ2 56.0, P<0.0001). Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of CRP in diagnosing HCC with respect to CLD+CIR were: 78.9%, 56.0% and 34.9%. However, when considered only in the subgroup of patients with α1-fetoprotein below or equalling 30 ng/ml, they were 50.0%, 54.3% and 4.3% respectively. In conclusion, CRP concentration is frequently elevated in patients with HCC, however, it does not seem to improve the ability of α1-fetoprotein to discriminate HCC from CIR.
AB - We investigated whether, in Italian patients, C-reactive protein (CRP) determination could be considered a useful adjunct, complementary to α1-fetoprotein, in the detection of liver cancer. CRP was determined by particle-enhanced nephelometry in 171 subjects (102 male, 69 female). Fifty-five patients had mild chronic liver disease (CLD), 45 cirrhosis (CIR), 38 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); 33 subjects were healthy controls. Patients with HCC and CIR had higher CRP levels (P<0.05) than those found in patients with CLD and controls. CRP higher than 5 mg/l was found in 30/38 (78.9%) patients with HCC, 28/45 (62.2%) patients with CIR, 16/55 (29.1%) patients with CLD (χ2 56.0, P<0.0001). Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of CRP in diagnosing HCC with respect to CLD+CIR were: 78.9%, 56.0% and 34.9%. However, when considered only in the subgroup of patients with α1-fetoprotein below or equalling 30 ng/ml, they were 50.0%, 54.3% and 4.3% respectively. In conclusion, CRP concentration is frequently elevated in patients with HCC, however, it does not seem to improve the ability of α1-fetoprotein to discriminate HCC from CIR.
KW - C-reactive protein
KW - Hepatocellular carcinoma
KW - Liver cirrhosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027976982&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/BF01372561
DO - 10.1007/BF01372561
M3 - Article
SN - 0171-5216
VL - 120
SP - 229
EP - 232
JO - Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology
JF - Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology
IS - 4
ER -