Evaluation of transforming growth factor alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor in diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent malignant tumors. It is important to detect disease and recurrence at its earlier period. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of TGF-alpha and VEGF in diagnosis of HCC patients. Thirty patients with liver cirrhosis, 30 patients with confirmed HCC and 20 healthy volunteers were subjected to abdominal ultrasonography, and alpha-fetoprotein, TGF-alpha and VEGF were assessed. Serum level of AFP was significantly higher in HCC than cirrhotic patients and controls and in cirrhosis patients than controls. The level of TGF-alpha was significantly increased in HCC and cirrhosis groups than in control group with no difference between cirrhosis and HCC groups. Serum VEGF was higher in HCC than in cirrhosis group and in both groups than in control group. Sensitivity and specificity of makers in diagnosis of HCC were 63%, 90% respectively for AFP using a cutoff value of 19.96 ng/ml; 60% and 92% for VEGF at cut off 268 and 73% and 84 % for TGF-alpha using a cutoff value of 13.95 pg/ml. VEGF may be useful serum marker for detection of HCC in addition to traditional markers.