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DLK1, a serum marker for hepatoblastoma in young infants
Author(s) -
Falix Farah A.,
Aronson Daniel C.,
Lamers Wouter H.,
Hiralall Johan K.,
Seppen Jurgen
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.24024
Subject(s) - hepatoblastoma , medicine , tumor marker , liver cancer , fetus , liver tumor , oncology , pathology , cancer , pregnancy , hepatocellular carcinoma , genetics , biology
Hepatoblastoma is a malignant pediatric liver tumor. The currently used diagnostic serum marker for hepatoblastoma, α‐fetoprotein (AFP), is not always reliable in infants with hepatoblastoma, due to the physiologically elevated levels of AFP in this age group. In this report, we show that Delta‐like 1 homolog (DLK1), a protein highly expressed during fetal development, but almost completely absent after birth, and an established liver‐stem cell marker, is a new candidate serum marker of hepatoblastoma, especially in young infants. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012;59:743–745. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.