Expression and clinical significance of alphafetoprotein variant in patients with primary liver cancer

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1002-7386.2017.14.003

Abstract：Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of serum alphafetoprotein ( AFP) and alphafetoprotein variant (AFP-L3) in patients with primary liver cancer. Methods The serum levels of AFP and AFP-L3 as well as positive detection rate were detected by electrochemiluminescence method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) ,respectively in 80 cases of primary hepatocellular carcinoma ( primary liver cancer group) ,80 cases of benign liver diseases ( benign liver disease group ) and 80 healthy subjects ( control group ) . Moreover the correlation between serum AFP-L3 and tumor size,cinical staging,tissue differentiation degree was analyzed. Results As compared with those in control group,the serum levels of AFP and AFP-L3 as well as positive detection rate in benign liver disease group and primary liver cancer group were significantly increased (P<0. 05),moreover,there were significant differences between benign liver disease group and primary liver cancer group (P<0. 05). The positive detection rates of AFP-L3 were closely correlated to tumor size and clinical stages (P<0. 05), however, there were no significant differences between different tissue differentiation degree (P>0. 05). Besides there were no significant differences in seroperitoneum abscission cancer cells,the levels of AFP,AFP-L3 in liver tissues and positive detection rates in primary liver cancer group (P>0. 05). The sensitivity and specificity AFP by combination detection of serum levels of AFP and AFP-L3 in diagnosis of primary liver cancer were 86. 25% and 93. 75%, respectively. Conclusion The detection of AFP-L3 has certain clinical value in early diagnosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma.