Clinical significance of serum vascular endothelial growth factor among hepatitis c cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and its correlation with tumor progression

Abstract EN

Background : Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

HCC accounts for 85 % to 90 % of primary liver cancers.

Clearly, there is need for other markers to have high sensitivity in early diagnosis of HCC.

The elevation of vascular endo-thelial growth factor (VEGF) implies a promotion of tumor angiogenesis, with high predictive value in tumor progression and prognosis in various types of cancer.

Aim : the aim of this work was to study the clinical significance of serum VEGF in HCC patients and correlating it with tumor progression (tumor size and portal vein thrombosis).

Patients and Methods : This study was conducted at the internal medicine department of Suez Canal University hospitals on three groups of patients having chronic HCV, Group I, patients having liver cirrhosis without HCC, Group II, patients with HCC and single nodule, Group III, patients with HCC , single nodule with portal vein thrombosis.

Results : Alpha-fetoprotein level was significantly higher in HCC groups of patients (group II and III) than in non-HCC (group I).

Also, mean VEGF was significantly higher in HCC groups of patients than control group.

Among HCC groups of patients, the level of VEGF had high sensitivity, specificity (72.5 % and 100 %) and predictive value for diagnosis of HCC, with significant positive correlation between VEGF level and tumor progression (tumor size and venous invasion).

Conclusions : Serum level of VEGF in HCC patients had high sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value for diagnosis of HCC with significant positive correlating with tumor progression.