The potential diagnostic value of serum pentraxin-3 in hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered one of the most common cancers in the world and one of the principal causes of cancer-linked deaths. Therefore, identification of new biomarkers for diagnosis, especially early diagnosis of HCC, is very important. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is possibly involved in cancer development, and as regard to liver diseases, plasma PTX3 was implicated to be associated with HCC occurrence. Therefore, this study will determine the serum PTX3 levels in patients with cirrhosis and HCC and to assess the potential diagnostic value in HCC in Egyptian patients.

Pentraxin 3 was significantly higher in HCC patients than in cirrhotic patients (p < 0.001); also, serum PTX3 was significantly correlated with number, size of focal lesions, the presence of portal vein thrombosis, and BCLC staging (p < 0.001).

The significant increased levels of serum pentraxin 3 in HCC may support its use as an early marker for HCC, either alone or in combination with serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), allowing early diagnosis and prompt intervention.