Evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma by combined detection of serum AFP-IgM complex and liver function

Abstract:

Objective：To analyze the value of the combined detection of a new hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC） marker，alpha-feto－protein immunoglobulin M（AFP-IgM） complex and liver function in diagnosing HCC. Methods：The serum from 64 cases of HCC and 27 cases of liver cirrhosis was collected. ELISA and electrochemiluminescence were employed in the detection of AFP-IgM complex and AFP respectively. The clinical data of patients’ liver function were collected. Results：According to the receiver operating char－acteristic（ROC） curve，the best cut-off value of AFP-IgM immune complex was 300 AU/ml. At this best cut-off value，the serum AFP-IgM complex was significantly higher in the patients with tumor diameter ≤3 cm than in the patients with tumor diameter >3 cm（（1 195.4±561.8） AU/ml vs. （584.3±771.7） AU/ml）. The serum AFP-IgM complex in patients at Ⅰ-Ⅱ clinic stages was higher than that in patients at Ⅲ-Ⅳ clinic stages（（1 033.0±508.0） AU/ml vs. （569.2±791.7） AU/ml）（P<0.01）. According to ROC curve，the best cut-off value of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase（GGT） was ≥154 U/L. The sensitivity of GGT in the diagnosis of HCC was 73.4%，with specificity of 55.6%，and the sensitivity of combined AFP-IgM and GGT in the diagnosis of HCC was 46.9%，with specificity of primary 70.3% and effective rate of 53.8%. Conclusions：AFP-IgM detection helps to improve the effectiveness in the diagnosis of small hepatocellular carcinoma and HCC at early stage. AFP-IgM combined liver function tests can help to do differential diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and HCC，which is expected to become screening method for small hepatocellular carcino－ma at early stage.