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Journal of Molecular Medicine (Berlin,... Jul 2024Liver cirrhosis due to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a life-threatening condition with increasing incidence world-wide. Although its symptoms are unspecific, it... (Review)
Review
Liver cirrhosis due to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a life-threatening condition with increasing incidence world-wide. Although its symptoms are unspecific, it can lead to decompensation events such as ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, variceal hemorrhage, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In addition, an increased risk for cardiovascular events has been demonstrated in patients with NASH. Pharmacological treatments for NASH cirrhosis are not yet available, one of the reasons being the lack in surrogate endpoints available in clinical trials of NASH cirrhosis. The feasibility of non-invasive prognostic biomarkers makes them interesting candidates as possible surrogate endpoints if their change following treatment would result in better outcomes for patients in future clinical trials of NASH cirrhosis. In this systematic literature review, a summary of the available literature on the prognostic performance of non-invasive biomarkers in terms of cardiovascular events, liver-related events, and mortality is outlined. Due to the scarcity of data specific for NASH cirrhosis, this review includes studies on NAFLD whose evaluation focuses on cirrhosis. Our search strategy identified the following non-invasive biomarkers with prognostic value in studies of NASH patients: NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI), enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF™), BARD (BMI, AST/ALT (alanine aminotransferase) ratio, diabetes), Hepamet Fibrosis Score (HFS), liver enzymes (AST + ALT), alpha-fetoprotein, platelet count, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Lysyl oxidase-like (LOXL) 2, miR-122, liver stiffness, MEFIB (liver stiffness measured with magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) + FIB-4), and PNPLA3 GG genotype. The aim of the present systematic literature review is to provide the reader with a summary of the non-invasive biomarkers with prognostic value in NASH cirrhosis and give an evaluation of their utility as treatment monitoring biomarkers in future clinical trials.
Topics: Humans; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Liver Cirrhosis; Biomarkers; Prognosis
PubMed: 38753041
DOI: 10.1007/s00109-024-02448-2 -
Molecular and Clinical Oncology Jan 2015This study was conducted to determine the prognostic value of serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in patients with ovarian yolk sac tumor (OYST). We performed a systematic...
This study was conducted to determine the prognostic value of serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in patients with ovarian yolk sac tumor (OYST). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the associations between serum AFP level and prognosis in OYST. A total of 12 quantitative studies met the inclusion criteria. Preoperative AFP was not found to be associated with overall survival (OS) [odds ratio (OR)=0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.43-1.62] in OYST. However, a high postoperative AFP level was associated with worse OS (OR=0.16, 95% CI: 0.05-0.48) and relapse-free survival (RFS) (OR=0.18, 95% CI: 0.08-0.43) compared to a low postoperative AFP level in patients with OYST. In addition, a postoperative AFP level of >1,000 ng/ml was associated with a decrease in OS (OR=0.16, 95% CI: 0.05-0.50) and RFS (OR=0.21, 95% CI: 0.08-0.57). In conclusion, the postoperative, but not the preoperative, AFP level was found to be a prognostic factor in patients with OYST. In particular, a postoperative AFP level of >1,000 ng/ml was an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with OYST.
PubMed: 25469282
DOI: 10.3892/mco.2014.417 -
Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology Apr 2022Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lacks a suitable biomarker for minimally-invasive disease detection. Methylated (mSEPT9) is an emerging liquid biopsy test. We aimed to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
A systematic review and meta-analysis: the diagnostic accuracy of methylated for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma and the clinical evaluation of its use in combination with other surveillance modalities.
BACKGROUND
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lacks a suitable biomarker for minimally-invasive disease detection. Methylated (mSEPT9) is an emerging liquid biopsy test. We aimed to investigate recent studies that applied mSEPT9 for HCC diagnosis. Furthermore, we evaluated the combinations of other surveillance modalities for the detection of HCC.
METHODS
A systematic review was performed on the diagnostic accuracy of mSEPT9 for the detection of HCC. Using a bivariate model, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Additionally, Fagan's nomograms were used to calculate the pre-test and post-test probabilities of HCC for various combinations of surveillance modalities.
RESULTS
Six full texts were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of mSEPT9 for the detection of HCC, were 0.80 (95% CI, 0.67-0.89) and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.84-0.94). The area under the receiver operating curve was 0.92. The probability of having HCC for the combinations of mSEPT9+ ultrasound scan (USS) and mSEPT9+ Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) were 0.7% and 1.2% respectively if both tests were negative (in a population with 10% HCC prevalence). The combination of USS and AFP would miss relatively fewer cancers for 1000 patients in comparison to other combinations of two surveillance modalities.
CONCLUSION
Test combinations have superior performance for the detection of HCC than any individual test. mSEPT9 has shown promise in the detection of HCC with higher estimates of performance accuracy. mSEPT9 has potential for use as an HCC surveillance modality in adjunct with other tests to improve detection rates. However, cost effectiveness of this approach needs further evaluation.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Sensitivity and Specificity; Ultrasonography; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 34957898
DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2021.2020331 -
Bioscience Reports Mar 2020Midkine (MDK) has been proposed as one of the most promising markers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This meta-analysis was conducted to compare the diagnostic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
Midkine (MDK) has been proposed as one of the most promising markers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This meta-analysis was conducted to compare the diagnostic accuracy of MDK and α-fetoprotein (AFP) for HCC.
METHODS
We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Ovid/EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library for all relevant studies up to 18 May 2019. The Revised Quality Assessment for Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy tool (QUADAS-2) was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. The sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the curve (AUC) of MDK and AFP for detecting HCC were pooled using random-effects model.
RESULTS
Seventeen studies from five articles with a total of 1122 HCC patients and 2483 controls were included. The summary estimates using MDK and AFP for detecting HCC were as follows: sensitivity, 85 vs 52%, specificity, 82 vs 94%, and AUC, 0.90 vs 0.83. The summary estimates using MDK and AFP for detecting hepatitis virus-related HCC as follows: sensitivity, 93 vs 74%, specificity, 85 vs 97%, and AUC, 0.95 vs 0.97. The summary estimates using MDK and AFP for detecting early-stage HCC were as follows: sensitivity, 83.5 vs 44.4%, specificity, 81.7 vs 84.8%, and AUC, 0.87 vs 0.52. The summary estimates using MDK for detecting AFP-negative HCC as follows: sensitivity, 88.5%, specificity, 83.9%, and AUC, 0.91.
CONCLUSION
MDK is more accurate than AFP in diagnosing HCC, especially for early-stage HCC and AFP-negative HCC. Both MDK and AFP had excellent diagnostic performance for hepatitis virus-related HCC.
Topics: Area Under Curve; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Midkine; ROC Curve; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 32039435
DOI: 10.1042/BSR20192424 -
Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology 2024Given the superior performance of various therapies over sorafenib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the absence of direct comparisons, it is crucial to...
BACKGROUND
Given the superior performance of various therapies over sorafenib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the absence of direct comparisons, it is crucial to explore the efficacy of these treatments in phase III randomized clinical trials.
OBJECTIVES
The goal is to identify which patients are most likely to benefit significantly from these emerging therapies, contributing to more personalized and informed clinical decision-making.
DESIGN
Systematic review and network meta-analysis.
DATA SOURCES AND METHODS
PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and international conference databases have been searched from 1 January 2010 to 1 December 2023.
RESULTS
After screening, 17 phase III trials encompassing 18 treatments were included. In the whole-population network meta-analysis, the newly first-line tremelimumab plus durvalumab (Tre + Du) was found to be comparable with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo + Beva) in providing the best overall survival (OS) benefit [hazard ratio (HR) 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.93-1.92]. Concerning OS benefits, sintilimab plus bevacizumab biosimilar (Sint + Beva), camrelizumab plus rivoceranib (Camre + Rivo), and lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab (Lenva + Pemb) appear to exhibit similar effects to Tre + Du and Atezo + Beva. In the context of progression-free survival, Atezo + Beva seemed to outperform Tre + Du (HR: 0.66 CI: 0.49-0.87), while the effects are comparable to Sint + Beva, Camre + Rivo, and Lenva + Pemb. Upon comparison between Asia-Pacific and non-Asia-Pacific cohorts, as well as between hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected and non-HBV-infected populations, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based treatments seemed to exhibit heightened efficacy in the Asia-Pacific group and among individuals with HBV infection. However, combined ICI-based therapies did not show more effectiveness than molecular-targeted drugs in patients without macrovascular invasion and/or extrahepatic spread. As for grades 3-5 adverse events, combined therapies showed comparable safety to sorafenib and lenvatinib.
CONCLUSION
Compared with sorafenib and lenvatinib, combination therapies based on ICIs significantly improved the prognosis of advanced HCC and demonstrated similar safety. At the same time, the optimal treatment approach should be tailored to individual patient characteristics, such as etiology, tumor staging, and serum alpha-fetoprotein levels. With lower incidence rates of treatment-related adverse events and non-inferior efficacy compared to sorafenib, ICI monotherapies should be prioritized as a first-line treatment approach for patients who are not suitable candidates for ICI-combined therapies.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
PROSPERO, CRD42022288172.
PubMed: 38645513
DOI: 10.1177/17562848241237631 -
BMC Cancer Dec 2023The clinical relevance of circulating tumor cell-white blood cell (CTC-WBC) clusters in cancer prognosis is a subject of ongoing debate. This study aims to unravel their... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The clinical relevance of circulating tumor cell-white blood cell (CTC-WBC) clusters in cancer prognosis is a subject of ongoing debate. This study aims to unravel their contentious predictive value for patient outcomes.
METHODS
We conducted a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to December 2022. Eligible studies that reported survival outcomes and examined the presence of CTC-WBC clusters in solid tumor patients were included. Hazard ratios (HR) were pooled to assess the association between CTC-WBC clusters and overall survival (OS), as well as progression-free survival (PFS)/disease-free survival (DFS)/metastasis-free survival (MFS)/recurrence-free survival (RFS). Subgroup analyses were performed based on sampling time, treatment method, detection method, detection system, and cancer type.
RESULTS
A total of 1471 patients from 10 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The presence of CTC-WBCs was assessed as a prognostic factor for overall survival and PFS/DFS/MFS/RFS. The pooled analysis demonstrated that the presence of CTC-WBC clusters was significantly associated with worse OS (HR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.74-3.40, P < 0.001) and PFS/DFS/MFS/RFS (HR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.49-2.24, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses based on sampling time, treatment method, detection method, detection system, cancer type, and study type consistently supported these findings. Further analyses indicated that CTC-WBC clusters were associated with larger tumor size (OR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.58-4.44, P < 0.001) and higher alpha-fetoprotein levels (OR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.50-4.22, P < 0.001) in hepatocellular carcinoma. However, no significant association was found between CTC-WBC clusters and TNM stage, depth of tumor invasion, or lymph node metastasis in the overall analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
CTC-WBC clusters are negative predictors for OS and PFS/DFS/MFS/RFS in patients with solid tumors. Monitoring CTC-WBC levels may provide valuable information for predicting disease progression and guiding treatment decisions.
Topics: Humans; Prognosis; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; Disease-Free Survival; Progression-Free Survival; Liver Neoplasms
PubMed: 38087278
DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11711-7 -
Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases... Dec 2018As a promising biomarker of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) has been studied extensively. However, its... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
As a promising biomarker of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) has been studied extensively. However, its diagnostic capability varies across HCC studies. This study aimed to compare the performance of PIVKA-II with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the diagnosis of HCC.
DATA SOURCES
A systematic literature search was conducted to identify the studies from MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library Databases, which were published up to December 20, 2017 to compare the diagnostic capability of PIVKA-II and AFP for HCC. The data were pooled using random effects model. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Summary receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was employed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of each marker.
RESULTS
Thirty-one studies were included. The pooled sensitivity (95% CI) of PIVKA-II and AFP was 0.66 (0.65-0.68) and 0.66 (0.65-0.67), respectively in diagnosis of HCC; and the corresponding pooled specificity (95% CI) was 0.89 (0.88-0.90) and 0.84 (0.83-0.85), respectively. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of PIVKA-II and AFP was 0.856 (0.817-0.895) and 0.770 (0.728-0.811), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that PIVKA-II was superior to AFP in terms of the AUC for both small HCC (< 3 cm) [0.863 (0.825-0.901) vs 0.717 (0.658-0.776)] and large HCC (≥ 3 cm) [0.854 (0.811-0.897) vs 0.729 (0.682-0.776)]; for American [0.926 (0.897-0.955) vs 0.698 (0.594-0.662)], European [0.772 (0.743-0.801) vs 0.628 (0.594-0.662)], Asian [0.838 (0.812-0.864) vs 0.785 (0.764-0.806)] and African [0.812 (0.794-0.840) vs 0.721 (0.675-0.767)] HCC patients; and for HBV-related [0.909 (0.866-0.951) vs 0.714 (0.673-0.755)] and mixed-etiology [0.847 (0.821-0.873) vs 0.794 (0.772-0.816)] HCC.
CONCLUSION
This meta-analysis indicates that PIVKA-II is better than AFP in terms of the accuracy for diagnosing HCC, regardless of tumor size, patient ethnic group, or HCC etiology.
Topics: Biomarkers; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Protein Precursors; Prothrombin; Publication Bias; ROC Curve; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 30257796
DOI: 10.1016/j.hbpd.2018.09.009 -
BMC Cancer Jul 2022To describe and analyze the predictive models of the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing systemic treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To describe and analyze the predictive models of the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing systemic treatment.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed and Embase until December 2020 and manually searched references from eligible articles.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR STUDY SELECTION
The development, validation, or updating of prognostic models of patients with HCC after systemic treatment.
RESULTS
The systematic search yielded 42 eligible articles: 28 articles described the development of 28 prognostic models of patients with HCC treated with systemic therapy, and 14 articles described the external validation of 32 existing prognostic models of patients with HCC undergoing systemic treatment. Among the 28 prognostic models, six were developed based on genes, of which five were expressed in full equations; the other 22 prognostic models were developed based on common clinical factors. Of the 28 prognostic models, 11 were validated both internally and externally, nine were validated only internally, two were validated only externally, and the remaining six models did not undergo any type of validation. Among the 28 prognostic models, the most common systemic treatment was sorafenib (n = 19); the most prevalent endpoint was overall survival (n = 28); and the most commonly used predictors were alpha-fetoprotein (n = 15), bilirubin (n = 8), albumin (n = 8), Child-Pugh score (n = 8), extrahepatic metastasis (n = 7), and tumor size (n = 7). Further, among 32 externally validated prognostic models, 12 were externally validated > 3 times.
CONCLUSIONS
This study describes and analyzes the prognostic models developed and validated for patients with HCC who have undergone systemic treatment. The results show that there are some methodological flaws in the model development process, and that external validation is rarely performed. Future research should focus on validating and updating existing models, and evaluating the effects of these models in clinical practice.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42020200187 .
Topics: Bilirubin; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Prognosis; Sorafenib
PubMed: 35810271
DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09841-5 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... May 2022Hepatocellular carcinoma occurs mostly in people with chronic liver disease and ranks sixth in terms of global incidence of cancer, and third in terms of cancer deaths.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Hepatocellular carcinoma occurs mostly in people with chronic liver disease and ranks sixth in terms of global incidence of cancer, and third in terms of cancer deaths. In clinical practice, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used as a second-line diagnostic imaging modality to confirm the presence of focal liver lesions suspected as hepatocellular carcinoma on prior diagnostic test such as abdominal ultrasound or alpha-fetoprotein, or both, either in surveillance programmes or in clinical settings. According to current guidelines, a single contrast-enhanced imaging study (computed tomography (CT) or MRI) showing typical hallmarks of hepatocellular carcinoma in people with cirrhosis is considered valid to diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma. The detection of hepatocellular carcinoma amenable to surgical resection could improve the prognosis. However, a significant number of hepatocellular carcinomas do not show typical hallmarks on imaging modalities, and hepatocellular carcinoma may, therefore, be missed. There is no clear evidence of the benefit of surveillance programmes in terms of overall survival: the conflicting results can be a consequence of inaccurate detection, ineffective treatment, or both. Assessing the diagnostic accuracy of MRI may clarify whether the absence of benefit could be related to underdiagnosis. Furthermore, an assessment of the accuracy of MRI in people with chronic liver disease who are not included in surveillance programmes is needed for either ruling out or diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVES
Primary: to assess the diagnostic accuracy of MRI for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma of any size and at any stage in adults with chronic liver disease. Secondary: to assess the diagnostic accuracy of MRI for the diagnosis of resectable hepatocellular carcinoma in adults with chronic liver disease, and to identify potential sources of heterogeneity in the results.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Diagnostic Test of Accuracy Studies Register, the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, and three other databases to 9 November 2021. We manually searched articles retrieved, contacted experts, handsearched abstract books from meetings held during the last 10 years, and searched for literature in OpenGrey (9 November 2021). Further information was requested by e-mails, but no additional information was provided. No data was obtained through correspondence with investigators. We applied no language or document-type restrictions.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Studies assessing the diagnostic accuracy of MRI for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in adults with chronic liver disease, with cross-sectional designs, using one of the acceptable reference standards, such as pathology of the explanted liver and histology of resected or biopsied focal liver lesion with at least a six-month follow-up.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
At least two review authors independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias and applicability concerns, using the QUADAS-2 checklist. We presented the results of sensitivity and specificity, using paired forest plots, and we tabulated the results. We used a hierarchical meta-analysis model where appropriate. We presented uncertainty of the accuracy estimates using 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We double-checked all data extractions and analyses.
MAIN RESULTS
We included 34 studies, with 4841 participants. We judged all studies to be at high risk of bias in at least one domain because most studies used different reference standards, often inappropriate to exclude the presence of the target condition, and the time interval between the index test and the reference standard was rarely defined. Regarding applicability, we judged 15% (5/34) of studies to be at low concern and 85% (29/34) of studies to be at high concern mostly owing to characteristics of the participants, most of whom were on waiting lists for orthotopic liver transplantation, and due to pathology of the explanted liver being the only reference standard. MRI for hepatocellular carcinoma of any size and stage: sensitivity 84.4% (95% CI 80.1% to 87.9%) and specificity 93.8% (95% CI 90.1% to 96.1%) (34 studies, 4841 participants; low-certainty evidence). MRI for resectable hepatocellular carcinoma: sensitivity 84.3% (95% CI 77.6% to 89.3%) and specificity 92.9% (95% CI 88.3% to 95.9%) (16 studies, 2150 participants; low-certainty evidence). The observed heterogeneity in the results remains mostly unexplained. The sensitivity analyses, which included only studies with clearly prespecified positivity criteria and only studies in which the reference standard results were interpreted without knowledge of the results of the index test, showed no variation in the results.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
We found that using MRI as a second-line imaging modality to diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma of any size and stage, 16% of people with hepatocellular carcinoma would be missed, and 6% of people without hepatocellular carcinoma would be unnecessarily treated. For resectable hepatocellular carcinoma, we found that 16% of people with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma would improperly not be resected, while 7% of people without hepatocellular carcinoma would undergo inappropriate surgery. The uncertainty resulting from the high risk of bias in the included studies and concerns regarding their applicability limit our ability to confidently draw conclusions based on our results.
Topics: Adult; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Sensitivity and Specificity; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 35521901
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD014798.pub2 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2023the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) benefits from the use of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) together with imaging diagnosis using abdominal ultrasonography,...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) benefits from the use of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) together with imaging diagnosis using abdominal ultrasonography, CT, and MRI, leading to improved early detection of HCC. A lot of progress has been made in the field, but some cases are missed or late diagnosed in advanced stages of the disease. Therefore, new tools (serum markers, imagistic technics) are continually being reconsidered. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II (PIVKA II) diagnostic accuracy for HCC (global and early disease) has been investigated (in a separate or cumulative way). The purpose of the present study was to determine the performance of PIVKA II compared to AFP.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
systematic research was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Medline and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, taking into consideration articles published between 2018 and 2022.
RESULTS
a total number of 37 studies (5037 patients with HCC vs. 8199 patients-control group) have been included in the meta-analysis. PIVKA II presented a better diagnostic accuracy in HCC diagnostic vs. alpha-fetoprotein (global PIVKA II AUROC 0.851 vs. AFP AUROC 0.808, respectively, 0.790 vs. 0.740 in early HCC cases). The conclusion from a clinical point of view, concomitant use of PIVKA II and AFP can bring useful information, added to that brought by ultrasound examination.
PubMed: 36899960
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13050816