Clinical Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1996. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 15, 1996; 2(3): 165-166
Published online Sep 15, 1996. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v2.i3.165
Clinical use of hepatic carcinoma associated membrane protein antigen (HAg18-1) for detection of primary hepatocellular carcinoma
Shi-Xian Hu, Gui-Ying Fang
Shi-Xian Hu, Gui-Ying Fang, Department of Pathology, Chinese PLA 165 Hospital, Hengyang 421002, Hunan Province, China
Shi-Xian Hu, Chief Physician, Director of the Department of Pathology, having published 38 papers and one book, Pathology of Burns. Born on March 17, 1935 in Lou Di City, Hunan Province, and graduated from the Chinese PLA Sixth Medical University (the Previous Zhong Zhen Medical College) in 1935.
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Shi-Xian Hu, Chief Physician, Director, Department of Pathology, Chinese PLA 165 Hospital, Hengyang 421002, Hunan Province, China
Telephone: +86-734-8411452-83293
Received: July 2, 1996
Revised: July 29, 1996
Accepted: August 7, 1996
Published online: September 15, 1996
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and clinical value of hepatic carcinoma associated membrane protein antigen (HAg18a21) as a reagent in a serum quick enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHCC).

METHODS: A serum quick enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) which uses HAg18a21 as a reagent, was prepared from monoclonal antibodies against human hepatic carcinoma. We assayed blood serum obtained from 100 cases of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHCC), 5 cases of hepatic biliary carcinoma (HBC), 10 cases of metastatic hepatic carcinoma (MHC), 20 cases of hepatitis B (HB), 20 cases of liver cirrhosis (LC), 20 cases of malignant gastrointestinal tumors, and 20 cases of inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases (including ulcers). Alpha 2 fetoprotein (AFP) was concurrently detected for each case. Twenty samples of blood bank serum were tested as controls.

RESULTS: The respective positive rates for the HAg18a21 ELISA assay and AFP detection assay were 81% and 68% in PHCC, 20% and 40% in HBC, 19% and 20% in MHC, 10% and 20% in BH, 10% and 20% in LC, 10% and 15% in malignant gastrointestinal tumors, and 5% and 10% in inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases. Neither assay showed a positive result for any tested blood bank sample.

CONCLUSION: The HAg18a21 ELISA demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in the detection of PHCC. HAg18a21 ELISA and AFP detection, if used together, may compliment each other in the diagnosis of PHCC.

Keywords: Liver neoplasms/diagnosis; Carcinoma; Hepatocellular diagnosis; Antigens; Neoplasm