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Fucosylation Index of α‐Fetoprotein, a Possible Aid in the Early Recognition of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Cirrhosis
Author(s) -
Aoyagi Yutaka,
Saitoh Atsushi,
Suzuki Yasufumi,
Igarashi Kentarou,
Oguro Makoto,
Yokota Tsuyoshi,
Mori Shigeki,
Suda Takeshi,
Asakura Hitoshi,
Isemura Mamoru
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840170110
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , fucosylation , cirrhosis , medicine , hepatology , gastroenterology , surgical oncology , carcinoma , chemistry , glycoprotein , biochemistry , glycan
We report here on three patients with cirrhosis for whom an early recognition of hepatocellular carcinoma was made possible by the measurement of the degree of fucosylation (fucosylation index) of α‐fetoprotein. Increased levels of this index associated with a moderate increment of serum concentration of α‐fetoprotein were observed in three patients with cirrhosis who showed no indication of hepatocellular carcinoma by several imaging modalities. Four years after the onset of an increase in the fucosylation index, small hepatocellular carcinoma with a tumor diameter less than 2 cm was revealed in case 1. In cases 2 and 3, small hepatocellular carcinomas were detected 24 mo and 9 mo, respectively, after the first sign of the increase in the index. However, the development to hepatocellular carcinoma was not detected in five patients with cirrhosis in whom continuous increments of serum concentration of α‐fetoprotein with low levels of fucosylation index were observed during the prospective follow‐up from 3 to 9 yr. These findings indicated that the fucosylation index of α‐fetoprotein can be used as an aid in an early recognition of hepatocellular carcinoma, especially in patients with cirrhosis during the follow‐up process in which the moderate increment of serum concentration of α‐fetoprotein is noted. (H EPATOLOGY 1993;17:50–52.)