Diagnostic Role of Aldoketoreductase family 1B10 (AKR1B10) in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Benign Hepatic Lesions

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary liver cancer. It is the second most common cause of cancer deaths. The majority of HCCs arise in chronically diseased livers with cirrhotic background. Several benign lesions might be found in a cirrhotic liver along with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and may exhibit typical or atypical imaging features. Distinction between benign hepatocellular nodular lesions, such as hepatic adenoma, and focal nodular hyperplasia, from HCC is of crucial clinical importance in determining appropriate therapy and assessing the prognosis.AKR1B10 is a promising marker that is recently used in the HCC diagnosis. Aim of the Work is to study the immuno-histochemical expression of Aldoketoreductase family 1B10 (AKR1B10) in hepatocellular carcinoma and benign hepatic lesions, to assess its role in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and in differentiating it from different benign hepatic lesions. Materials and Methods Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC(T)):(109), corresponding non tumor tissue with and without cirrhosis (NT):(80), benign hepatic lesions (Focal Nodular Hyperplasia(FNH):(6) and Hepatic Adenoma(HCA)) (6) and Hepatic Cirrhosis (Cs) without HCC (16). Results AKR1B10 was over expressed in 82.6% (90/109) of studied HCC cases, negative expression in studied corresponding non-tumor hepatic tissue (NT) in 92.5% (74/80), complete negativity of AKR1B10 was observed in studied benign hepatic lesions 100% (0/12) and also negative expression in 81.3% (13/16) of included hepatic cirrhosis without HCC. Conclusion AKR1B10 is a promising marker in the diagnosis of HCC and distinguishing it from other benign hepatic lesions.