Serum Wisteria floribunda agglutinin‐positive Mac‐2 binding protein level as a diagnostic marker of hepatitis B virus‐related hepatocellular carcinoma. Issue 11 (3rd June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chuaypen, Natthaya; Chittmittraprap, Salyavit; Pinjaroen, Nutcha; Sirichindakul, Boonchoo; Poovorawan, Yong; Tanaka, Yasuhito; Tangkijvanich, Pisit
• Is Part Of: Hepatology research. Volume 48:Issue 11(2018)
• Page Start: 872
• Page End: 881
• Publication Date: 2018-06-03
• Subjects: alpha‐fetoprotein -- HBV -- HCC -- tumor marker -- WFA+ M2BP; Liver -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Liver Diseases -- Periodicals; Foie -- Maladies -- Périodiques; 616.362
• DOI: 10.1111/hepr.13187
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1386-6346

Abstract

Abstract : Aim: Serum glycosylated Wisteria floribunda agglutinin‐positive Mac‐2 binding protein (WFA + ‐M2BP) is a novel marker for staging liver fibrosis and predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of WFA + ‐M2BP in the diagnosis of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Methods: The WFA + ‐M2BP levels were measured in stored samples collected at initial diagnosis of 150 patients with HBV‐related HCC and 150 age‐ and gender‐matched patients with non‐malignant chronic HBV infection. Results: Patients with HCC had higher levels of WFA + ‐M2BP than those without HCC (3.9 [1.5–20.6] vs. 1.6 [0.4–9.3] cut‐off index [COI], P < 0.001). In the HCC group, WFA + ‐M2BP levels correlated with Child–Pugh classification but did not correlate with HBV markers, α‐fetoprotein (AFP), or Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage. The areas under the curve (AUROC) for differentiating HCC from non‐HCC were 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.89–0.95; P < 0.001) for WFA + ‐M2BP, 0.90 (95% CI, 0.87–0.94; P < 0.001) for AFP, and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.95–0.98; P < 0.001) for the combination of both markers. At the optimal cut‐off (2.4 COI), WFA + ‐M2BP had sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 79.3%, 91.3%, and 85.3%, respectively. The WFA + ‐M2BP marker was superior to AFP in differentiating early‐stage HCC (BCLC stages 0 and A) from cirrhosis with AUROC of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.68–0.91; P < 0.001) and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.60–0.86; P = 0.002), respectively. By univariate analysis, elevated WFA + ‐M2BP (≥4.0 COI) was correlated with poor overall survival in patients with HCC. Conclusions: Wisteria floribunda agglutinin‐positive M2BP showed a better diagnostic performance than AFP in detecting early‐stage HCC. Thus, WFA + ‐M2BP level could represent a promising marker for early diagnosis of HCC in patients with chronic HBV infection.