A Comparative Study of the Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Macrophage Activation Marker Soluble CD163 and Alpha Fetoprotein in Cirrhotic Patients with Hepatitis C Virus-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma treated by Loco-Regional Therapy

Abstract

epatocellular carcinoma is the fifth most common tumor worldwide and the second most common cause of cancer-related death with a male-to-female predominance greater than 2:1. The presence of cirrhosis represents a key risk factor for the development of HCC. The prevalence of cirrhosis among patients with HCC has been estimated to be 85%-95% and the HCC incidence rate among patients with cirrhosis has been shown to be 2%-4% per year. HCV infection is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and hence the development of HCC. Egypt has the highest HCV prevalence worldwide; with estimated rate of 10% of Egyptians between 15 – 59 years as reported by the Egyptian Health Issues Survey (EHIS) in 2015.