Exploring Possible Biomarkers for Early Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common Ihalignancies worldwide and is highly associated with chronic liver disease, including hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In Egypt this is a major health problem since almost 20% of the Egyptian populations are infected with HCV and almost 2% of them will suffer from HCC at the end stage of their disease. Molecular markers (biomarkers) for early detection of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are

mandatory to reduce the risk of development and possible 1

early treatment. A large number of

biomarkers have been shown to have potential predictive significance. Molecular factors involved in the process of HCC invasion and metastasis, including sFs , TNF Rll, IL-2Ra and IL-8. One important new trend is to widely delineate biomarkers with Jroteomic expression with reference to predicting metastatic recurrence, molecular diagnosis, and tlassification, which has drawn more attention recently. Our study aims to find the possible biomarkers for early detection of HCC. Also we attempt to understand the role ofHCV in the developmentlofHCC and to assess the feasibility of using one of these markers for early detection of HCC or iminunotherapy for targeting cancer cells. Levels ofthese markers were tested in 30 patients with HCCiand 32 CAH(chronic active hepatitis), as well as in 18 ASC(asymptomatic carriers) and 10 NC(normal control) ongoing HCV infection confirmed by EIA, and RT-PCR. . [ The main results of this study is: a) Exclusion of Asymptomatic liver disease as having no HCC I (hepatocellular carcinoma) could be done with 95% specificit!Y if sTNFRII is:::=: 389 AND IL-8 is < 290 b) As we could say that with 90% sensitivity that the case is HCC if TNFRII is:::=: 389 OR IL-8 is <290