Values of serum AFP, GGTⅡ and GP73 in diagnosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma

ObjectiveTo explore the early diagnostic values of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), gamma-glutamyltransferase Ⅱ (GGTⅡ), and Golgi protein 73 (GP73) in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC). MethodsThe serum specimens of 100 patients with liver diseases (50 cases of hepatitis and liver cirrhosis and 50 cases of PHC) and 50 healthy people were collected in our hospital from February 2013 to February 2014. Electrochemical luminescence technique, specific immuno-membrane adsorption assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to measure the serum levels of AFP, GGTⅡ, and GP73. Comparison of continuous data between multiple groups was made by analysis of variance, and comparison between two groups was made by q test. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of single or combined test results were made, and the areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were calculated. The sensitivity, specificity, and AUCs of AFP, GGTⅡ, GP73, and the combined test were analyzed and compared. ResultsThe level of serum GGTⅡ in the PHC group was significantly different compared with those in the other two groups (F=16.224, P＜0.05), but there was no significant difference between the normal group and the hepatitis and liver cirrhosis group (P＞0.05). Significant differences in serum levels of AFP and GP73 were observed by paired comparison between the PHC group, hepatitis and liver cirrhosis group, and normal group (F=193.128, F=20.231, P＜0.05 for both). When assayed alone, the specificities of GP73, GGTⅡ, and AFP were 69%, 64% and 51%, respectively, and the sensitivities were 92%, 84%, and 76%, respectively. In combined test, the specificity was 94.6% and the sensitivity was 98.8%. ConclusionThe GP73 test is the best performer in the single assays. Combined test of serum AFP, GGTⅡ, and GP73 shows a good diagnostic value for PHC with greatly improved specificity and sensitivity