scholarly journals A Comparative Study of Serum Angiogenic Biomarkers in Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Krizia Pocino ◽  
Cecilia Napodano ◽  
Mariapaola Marino ◽  
Riccardo Di Santo ◽  
Luca Miele ◽  
...  

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a global health problem associated with chronic liver disease. Its pathogenesis varies according to the underlying etiological factors, although in most cases it develops from liver cirrhosis. The disease progression is accompanied by pathological angiogenesis, which is a prerequisite that favors the development of HCC. Aims: This study aims at contributing to our understanding of the role of angiogenic factors in the progression of liver disease. For this purpose, we evaluate the clinical significance of serum angiogenic markers (VEGF, Ang-1, Ang-2, the angiopoietin receptor Tie1/2, HGF, and PECAM-1) first in cirrhotic and HCC patients separately, and then comparing cirrhotic patients with and without HCC. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 62 patients, out of whom 33 were diagnosed with HCC and 29 with liver cirrhosis without signs of neoplasia. Patients underwent venous blood sampling before and after receiving treatments for the diagnosed disease. Serum markers were evaluated using ELISA assays for Tie1 and the Bio-Plex Multiplex system for the remaining ones. Biomarker levels were investigated as a function of clinical scores for disease staging (MELD and Fibrosis Index, FI). Results: In cirrhotic patients, Ang-1 and Ang-2 correlate with MELD (ρAng-1 = −0.73, p = 2E−5) and FI (ρAng-1 = −0.52, p = 7E−3, ρAng-2 = 0.53, p = 3E−3). A reduction of Ang-2 levels (p = 0.047) and of the Ang-2/Ang-1 ratio (p = 0.031) is observed in cirrhotic patients diagnosed with viral hepatitis after antiviral treatments. In HCC patients, Ang-1 negatively correlates with FI (ρ = −0.63, p = 1E−4), and PECAM-1 positively correlates with MELD (ρ = 0.44, p = 0.01). A significant Ang-1 reduction was observed in deceased patients during the study compared to ones who survived (p = 0.01). In HCC patients, VEGF levels were increased after tumor treatment (p = 0.037). Notably, HGF levels in cirrhotic patients with HCC are significantly raised (p = 0.017) compared to that in those without HCC. Conclusions: Our results suggest that serum angiogenic markers, with emphasis on Ang-1/2, can contribute to the development of quantitative tools for liver disease staging and therapy monitoring. The comparison between cirrhotic patients with and without HCC suggests that HGF levels are potentially useful for monitoring the insurgence of HCC after a cirrhosis diagnosis. High Ang-1 levels in HCC patients appear to have a protective role as well as prognostic significance.

Author(s):  
Krizia Pocino ◽  
Cecilia Napodano ◽  
Gabriele Ciasca ◽  
Mariapaola Marino ◽  
Nicoletta De Matthaeis ◽  
...  

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a global health problem associated with chronic liver disease. The pathogenesis of chronic liver disease varies according to the underlying etiological factor, although in most cases it develops from a liver cirrhosis. The worsening progression of liver disease is accompanied by pathological angiogenesis, which is a prerequisite that favors the development of HCC. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical utility of circulating angiogenic markers VEGF, Ang-1, Ang-2, the Angiopoietin receptor (Tie1/2), HGF and PECAM-1 to screen early onset patients and to follow the evolution of HCC. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 62 patients; 33 out of 62 subjects were diagnosed for HCC and 29/62 for liver cirrhosis of different etiology without signs of neoplasia. Patients underwent venous blood sampling before and after treatments for VEGF, Ang-1, Ang-2, Tie1, Tie2, HGF and PECAM-1 measurement. Results: Ang-1 and Ang-2 are detectable not only in patients already suffering from HCC but also in cirrhotic patients without signs of cancer. Patients with HCC show higher HGF concentrations than patients with cirrhosis. A significant reduction in serum levels of Ang-2, Ang-2/Ang-1 and Ca 19-9 after DAAs therapy was observed. Moreover, VEGF levels were increased after treatment of HCC. Conclusion: The preliminary study here presented confirms that the mechanism of tumor angiogenesis is very complex and involves a very large number of factors. The integration of different methodologies and multi-marker algorithms is likely to emerge for the early diagnosis of HCC and the monitoring of the risk of relapse.


Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdelrahman Mohamed Baz ◽  
Rana Magdy Mohamed ◽  
Khaled Helmy El-kaffas

Abstract Background Liver cirrhosis is a multi-etiological entity that alters the hepatic functions and vascularity by varying grades. Hereby, a cross-sectional study enrolling 100 cirrhotic patients (51 males and 49 females), who were diagnosed clinically and assessed by model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, then correlated to the hepatic Doppler parameters and ultrasound (US) findings of hepatic decompensation like ascites and splenomegaly. Results By Doppler and US, splenomegaly was evident in 49% of patients, while ascites was present in 44% of them. Increased hepatic artery velocity (HAV) was found in70% of cases, while 59% showed reduced portal vein velocity (PVV). There was a statistically significant correlation between HAV and MELD score (ρ = 0.000), but no significant correlation with either hepatic artery resistivity index (HARI) (ρ = 0.675) or PVV (ρ =0.266). Moreover, HAV had been correlated to splenomegaly (ρ = 0.000), whereas HARI (ρ = 0.137) and PVV (ρ = 0.241) did not significantly correlate. Also, ascites had correlated significantly to MELD score and HAV (ρ = 0.000), but neither HARI (ρ = 0.607) nor PVV (ρ = 0.143) was significantly correlated. Our results showed that HAV > 145 cm/s could confidently predict a high MELD score with 62.50% and 97.62 % sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion Doppler parameters of hepatic vessels (specifically HAV) in addition to the US findings of hepatic decompensation proved to be a non-invasive and cost-effective imaging tool for severity assessment in cirrhotic patients (scored by MELD); they could be used as additional prognostic parameters for improving the available treatment options and outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandra Chiappin Cardoso ◽  
Camila Matiollo ◽  
Carolina Hilgert Jacobsen Pereira ◽  
Janaina Santana Fonseca ◽  
Helder Emmanuel Leite Alves ◽  
...  

AbstractLiver cirrhosis is often complicated by an immunological imbalance known as cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate disturbances in circulating monocytes and dendritic cells in patients with acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis. The sample included 39 adult cirrhotic patients hospitalized for AD, 29 patients with stable cirrhosis (SC), and 30 healthy controls (CTR). Flow cytometry was used to analyze monocyte and dendritic cell subsets in whole blood and quantify cytokines in plasma samples. Cirrhotic groups showed higher frequencies of intermediate monocytes (iMo) than CTR. AD patients had lower percentages of nonclassical monocytes than CTR and SC. Cirrhotic patients had a profound reduction in absolute and relative dendritic cell numbers compared with CTR and showed higher plasmacytoid/classical dendritic cell ratios. Increased plasma levels of IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17A, elevated percentages of CD62L+ monocytes, and reduced HLA-DR expression on classical monocytes (cMo) were also observed in cirrhotic patients. Patients with more advanced liver disease showed increased cMo and reduced tissue macrophages (TiMas) frequencies. It was found that cMo percentages greater than 90.0% within the monocyte compartment and iMo and TiMas percentages lower than 5.7% and 8.6%, respectively, were associated with increased 90-day mortality. Monocytes and dendritic cells are deeply altered in cirrhotic patients, and subset profiles differ between stable and advanced liver disease. High cMo and low TiMas frequencies may be useful biomarkers of disease severity and mortality in liver cirrhosis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reham A. Aboelwafa ◽  
Walid Ismail Ellakany ◽  
Marwa A. Gamaleldin ◽  
Marwa A. Saad

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis C are strongly associated. The current work aimed to study the expression levels of microRNA-331-3p and microRNA-23b-3p as propable biomarkers for detecting liver cancer (HCC) at its early stages in patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis. The current prospective study included two hundred participants, divided into three groups: group I, 100 patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis; group II, 50 HCC patients at early stages; and group III, 50 apparentlyhealthy controls. All patients had routine laboratory workup and ultrasound hepatic assessment. Values of microRNA-331-3p and microRNA-23b-3p were measured by real-time quantitative PCR. Results Levels of miR-331-3p were significantly higher in HCC patients than in cirrhotic patients and controls (p < 0.001), while levels of miR-23b-3p were significantly lower in HCC patients compared to cirrhotics and controls (p < 0.001). ROC curve revealed that miR-23b-3p had 80% sensitivity and 74% specificity, miR-331-3p had 66% sensitivity and 61% specificity, and AFP had 64% sensitivity and 61% specificity of 61% in discrimination between HCC patients from controls. Conclusion Serum miR-23b-3p is a more effective predictor than miR-331-3p and AFP for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C (HCV)-related cirrhotic patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Mohamed Abd Ellatif Afifi ◽  
Ahmed Mohamed Hussein ◽  
Mahmoud Rizk

Background. Patients with liver cirrhosis experience a large variety of metabolic disorders associated with more hepatic decompensation. Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a significant complication in liver cirrhosis patients, presenting a wide spectrum of neuropsychological symptoms. A deficiency of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD) in the general population is associated with a loss of cognitive function, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Aim of the Study. Our study aims to check the relationship between low serum 25-OHD and HE in patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis and assess its link with patient mortality. Patients and Methods. This study was observationally carried out on 100 patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis. The patients were divided into 2 groups: Group A—included 50 HCV-related cirrhotic patients with HE, and Group B—included 50 HCV-related cirrhotic patients without HE. Assessment of disease severity using the end-stage liver disease (MELD) model and Child Turcotte Pugh (CTP) scores were done, and 25-OHD levels were measured. Comparison of vitamin D levels in different etiologies and different CTP categories was made using one-way ANOVA. Pearson’s correlation between the level of vitamin D and other biomarkers was applied. Results. There was a statistically significant Vitamin D level difference between the two groups. A lower level of vitamin D was observed in the HE group where the severe deficiency was 16%, while it was 6% in the other group and the moderate deficiency was 24% in HE group as compared to 10% in the other group. The insufficient vitamin D level represented 46% of the non-HE group while none of the HE group falls in this category. Vitamin D level was statistically higher in Grade 1 HE than in Grade 2 which is higher than in Grades 3 to 4. Vitamin D level was also significantly higher in those who improved from HE as compared to those who died. Conclusion. The lower levels of 25-OHD were associated with the higher incidence of HE in cirrhotic HCV patients. The worsening vitamin D deficiency was associated with increased severity of the liver disease, so vitamin D may be considered a prognostic factor for the severity of liver cirrhosis and high mortality rate in HE patients.


Author(s):  
Dong Yi ◽  
Wang Wen-Ping ◽  
Won Jae Lee ◽  
Maria Franca Meloni ◽  
Dirk-Andre Clevert ◽  
...  

Liver cirrhosis is an established high-risk factor for HCC and the majority of patients diagnosed with HCC have cirrhosis. However, HCC also arises in non-cirrhotic livers in approximately 20 %of all cases. HCC in non-cirrhotic patients is often clinically silent and surveillance is usually not recommended. HCC is often diagnosed at an advanced stage in these patients. Current information about HCC in patients with non-cirrhotic liver is limited. Here we review the current knowledge on epidemiology, clinical features and imaging features of those patiens.


1977 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Coccheri ◽  
G. Palareti ◽  
M. Poggi ◽  
G. Oca

Positivity of paracoagulation tests in a previously studied group of 80 patients with chronic active liver disease did not exceed 5-10% of the cases. In the present study, plasma samples from 20 cases of decompensated liver cirrhosis, assessed by liver biopsy, were investigated by means of agarose cromatography. Fibrinogen related materials were measured immunologically and by Staphylococcal Clumping Test.First appearance of fibrinogen-like materials occurred at earlier fractions in cirrhotic patients in comparison with normal controls. The relative amount of soluble fibrin monomer complexes (SFMC) as referred to total fibrinogen was significantly increased. No correlation was found between the amount of SFMC and the severity of fibrinogen polymerisation defect.Circulating SFMC are therefore present in severe liver cirrhosis. However, DIC may not be the only proposed explanation for this finding.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-65
Author(s):  
B.S. Nagaraja ◽  
R. Madhumati ◽  
K.J. Umesh ◽  
U. Rashwith

Background: Alcoholic liver Disease (ALD) encompasses a spectrum of Injury, ranging from simple steatosis to frank cirrhosis which is evaluated by many scoring systems. Aims and Objective: Our study aims at evaluating the discriminative abilities of Child-Pugh, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), and albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) scores in predicting the inhospital mortality in cirrhotic patients complicated with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Materials and Methods: Data of Patients with Liver cirrhosis secondary to ethanol presented with Upper GI bleed were retrospectively reviewed. Child Pugh, MELD and ALBI scores were calculated for the patients and results from ROC curves were analysed. Results: In our study conducted on 112 patients, the age distribution was between 18-74 yrs with mean age ofpatients being 46.47+/-10.9 years, sex ratio Male: Female: 105:7 with mortality rate of 33.4%.the Area under curves of ROC of ALBI, Child Pugh and MELD are 0.743, 0.864 and 0.763. Conclusion: The prognostic performance of all 3 scores was comparable but Child Pugh score was found to have better prognostic significance than ALBI and MELD score.


2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-122
Author(s):  
Andra-Iulia Suceveanu ◽  
Laura Mazilu ◽  
Doina Catrinoiu ◽  
Adrian-Paul Suceveanu ◽  
Felix Voinea ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground and Aims. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies. Obesity, together with the underlying liver steatosis, has received increased attention as a risk factor for HCC. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is also reported to be associated with HCC. We aimed to estimate the risk of HCC in obese and diabetic patients. Material and method. We prospectively analyzed 414 obese and diabetic patients, over a period of 5 years. We evaluated all patients using screening methods such as abdominal ultrasound and serum alpha-fetoprotein every 6 month, in order to detect HCC occurrence. Kaplan-Meier analysis estimated the cumulative incidence of HCC. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis assessed the association between HCC and obesity. Results. Median follow-up was 4.3 years. 11 from 77 cirrhotic obese patients, and 18 from 150 non-cirrhotic obese patients developed HCC (p=ns). 7 from 51 patients with DM and cirrhosis, and 14 from 136 non-cirrhotic patients with DM developed HCC (p=ns). The cumulative incidence of HCC was 2.8%, respectively 2.6%, in cirrhotic patients with obesity or DM, compared with 2.2%, respectively 2.0%, in non-cirrhotic patients with obesity or DM (p=ns). Conclusion. Obesity and DM, along with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), seems to be independent risk factors for HCC occurrence.


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