Evaluating some biomarkers for diagnosis, prediction and therapy monitoring in a sample of Hepatocellular Carcinoma patients from Jordan

Aim: The aim of the present case control study was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic role of alpha fetoprotein (AFP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), protein induced by vitamin k absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II), transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta 1), sialic acid and alpha-L-fucosidase (AFU) in the diagnosis and monitoring therapy in a sample of Jordanian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in an attempt to find a promising tumor marker with the highest sensitivity and specificity. Methods and Materials: The study was conducted on four selected groups of patients and a control group. AFP, AFU, VEGF, PIVKA-II, TGF-beta 1 and sialic acid activities were assayed in the five studied groups. Results: Significant differences in the mean blood levels of the tumor markers were found on comparing HCC groups of patients (group III and IV) with the other studied groups. The blood levels of AFP, PIVKA-II, sialic acid and AFU activity were lower in HCC group without metastasis versus the HCC metastatic group. On the other hand, blood levels of VEGF and TGF-beta 1 were higher in the non-metastatic HCC patients when compared to the metastatic HCC patients. There were significant decreases in the mean values of all parameters in HCC patients without distant metastasis posttreatment compared to the pre-treatment levels. Conclusion: The levels of AFP, PIVKA-II, TGF-beta 1, VEGF, sialic acid and AFU activity were found to offer highly specific and sensitive tumor biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and follow up of HCC post-therapy.