Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin and alpha-fetoprotein positive status as a new prognostic indicator after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to elucidate the usefulness of measuring the positive status of both des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) preoperatively as a new prognostic indicator of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS: One hundred forty-seven patients who underwent curative hepatic resection for primary HCC were studied. The definitions of DCP and AFP positivity were: positive DCP > 0.1 AU/ml, and positive AFP > 50 ng/ml. The patients were classified into four groups according to their levels of positivity for DCP and/or AFP: Group 1 (n = 59), negative levels of both DCP and AFP; Group 2 (n = 28), negative DCP and positive AFP levels; Group 3 (n = 31), positive DCP and negative AFP levels; and Group 4 (n = 29), positive levels of both DCP and AFP.

RESULTS: Patient survival and disease free survival in Group 4 were the worst among the four groups. By multivariate analysis, using Cox proportional hazards model, both the DCP- and AFP-positive status (in combination) and poorly differentiated histology were independent factors of poor prognosis for patient survival; and DCP- and AFP-positive status (in combination), poorly differentiated histology, positive intrahepatic metastasis, and tumor diameter over 5 cm were independent factors of poor prognosis for disease free survival.

CONCLUSIONS: The combination of DCP- and AFP-positive status is a new prognostic indicator for patients with HCC after hepatic resection.