Serum Transforming Growth Factor Beta1 in Hepatitis C Virus Related Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients,MUBARAK M. HUSSEIN, AMANY A. IBRAHIM, NAHLA F. KHATTAB, RUNIA F. EL FOULY and NEVIEN F. EL-FOULY
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major type of primary liver cancer and one of the most frequent human malignant neoplasms. It is estimated to cause more than a quarter of a million deaths each year throughout the world.
The Aim of this Work: Was to assess the value of serum level of transforming growth factor Beta 1 (TGF-beta-1) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) related chronic liver disease (CLD) and its level in patients with HCC and to evaluate its sensitivity and specificity in comparison to Alphafetoprotien (AFP) in early diagnosis of HCC.
Patients and Methods: Eighty Egyptian patients, from the Tropical Medicine Department and outpatient's clinic for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Ain Shams University Hospitals were divided into three groups:
Group I: Consisted of forty patients with chronic liver disease according to clinical, laboratory and radiological criteria.
Group II: Consisted of forty patients with proved HCC. Twenty normal subjects were taken as control group.
Group III: Determination of Transforming Growth Factor beta-1 serum level was done for the three groups.
Results: Revealed that the TGF beta-1 is less accurate than AFP in differentiating patients with HCC. Also it was not correlated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels or AFP levels.
Conclusion: TGF ß1 is not a candidate for novel tumor marker in detecting HCC earlier because it shows less sensi-tivity than AFP.