Quantitation of alpha-fetoprotein messenger RNA for early detection of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: A prospective pilot study

Background: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) messenger RNA (mRNA) may be a potential marker of the dissemination of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells into the circulation. The aim of this prospective pilot study was to assess the prognostic value of quantitative levels of AFP mRNA in patients undergoing ablative treatment for HCC. Methods: Peripheral blood samples were taken from seven patients before and after treatment for measurement of AFP mRNA levels by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Patients were treated with percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation ( n = 3) or transarterial chemoembolization ( n = 4). The level of AFP mRNA in blood was serially determined, and the time course was related to the clinical course and disease outcome. The median duration of follow-up was 14 months (range, 9–16 months). Results: HCC recurred locally in four patients, and lung metastases developed in two of them. Patients were divided into three groups on the basis of the pre- and post-treatment AFP mRNA status. Group 1 included four patients with consistently high serum AFP and AFP mRNA levels (pre- and post-treatment). These patients developed distant and local recurrence. Group 2 included a patient with serum-negative AFP mRNA and normal AFP levels at entry. Although serum AFP remained within normal range, mean AFP mRNA increased from 10 to 95 copies/μg RNA. This patient had no distant metastases, but his tumor markedly increased in size. In Group 3, AFP mRNA and serum AFP remained within normal range before and after treatment. These two patients did not develop either local or distant metastases during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Although this is a small sample size pilot study these findings imply that quantitative measurement of AFP-expressing cells in peripheral blood may serve as a marker of HCC recurrence.