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Wisteria floribunda agglutinin positive human Mac‐2‐binding protein as a predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma development in chronic hepatitis C patients
Author(s) -
Tamaki Nobuharu,
Kurosaki Masayuki,
Kuno Atsushi,
Korenaga Masaaki,
Togayachi Akira,
Gotoh Masanori,
Nakakuki Natsuko,
Takada Hitomi,
Matsuda Shuya,
Hattori Nobuhiro,
Yasui Yutaka,
Suzuki Shoko,
Hosokawa Takanori,
Tsuchiya Kaoru,
Nakanishi Hiroyuki,
Itakura Jun,
Takahashi Yuka,
Mizokami Masashi,
Narimatsu Hisashi,
Izumi Namiki
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
hepatology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.123
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1872-034X
pISSN - 1386-6346
DOI - 10.1111/hepr.12466
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , medicine , liver biopsy , gastroenterology , cumulative incidence , hazard ratio , confidence interval , incidence (geometry) , fibrosis , biopsy , oncology , pathology , cohort , physics , optics
Aims Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA)‐positive human Mac‐2‐binding protein (WFA + ‐M2BP) is a new glycol marker related to liver fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate WFA + ‐M2BP as a predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Methods This case–control study included 14 patients with chronic hepatitis C who developed HCC and 52controls, matched for age, gender, and fibrosis stage. WFA + ‐M2BP was measured at biopsy and follow‐up. Time zero was set at the date of liver biopsy. Results WFA + ‐M2BP increased stepwise with progression of liver fibrosis (p < 0.001). Cumulative incidence of HCC development was significantly higher in patients with WFA + ‐M2BP ≥4.2 (p < 0.001) or in those with time‐course changes in WFA + ‐M2BP (ΔWFA + ‐M2BP/year) ≥0.3 (p = 0.03). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that WFA + ‐M2BP ≥4.2 [hazard ratio (HR): 4.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1–15, p = 0.04], ΔWFA + ‐M2BP/year ≥0.3 (HR: 5.5, 95% CI: 1.5–19, p = 0.008), and AFP ≥10 ng/ml (HR: 4.7, 95% CI: 1.1–19, p = 0.03) were independent predictive factors of HCC development. Based on these data, we developed a simple scoring system to predict HCC development using these three factors. Using these scores, patients were classified into four groups; cumulative incidence of HCC development significantly increased with increasing scores (p < 0.001). Conclusions WFA + ‐M2BP measurements and time‐course changes in WFA + ‐M2BP can be used to identify patients at high risk of HCC development. Real‐time monitoring of WFA + ‐M2BP can be a novel predictor of HCC development.