Haptocorrin as marker of disease progression in fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma

TY - JOUR

T1 - Haptocorrin as marker of disease progression in fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma

AU - Lildballe, Dorte Launholt

AU - Nguyen, Khoa Tran

AU - Poulsen, Steen Seier

AU - Nielsen, H O

AU - Nexo, E

N1 - Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PY - 2011/1/1

Y1 - 2011/1/1

N2 - Aims: No valid markers are routinely available to follow disease progression in patients with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FLHCC). We report data suggesting that the vitamin B12 binding protein haptocorrin (HC) may prove a suitable marker. Methods: We monitored a 15-year-old boy diagnosed to have FLHCC by measuring the common markers alanine aminotransaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and bilirubin, as well as vitamin B12 (B12), and the forms of the B12 binding proteins. Tumour biopsies were examined immunohistologically. DNA and RNA were extracted from tumour and normal tissue and examined for content of HC DNA and mRNA. Results: The only markers indicative of disease progression were HC and (B12), levels of which were markedly elevated to 84 (11) nmol/L at the time of diagnosis and returned to values within the reference interval (0.43 (0.33) nmol/L) after an apparently radical removal of the tumour. The disappearance rate of HC followed a biphasic curve, the unsaturated protein displaying a half-life of 2.8 days and B12 and saturated HC one of 13 days. Before each diagnosed relapse, an increased concentration of HC was observed. We found a strong immunoreaction against HC in tumour tissue and a high mRNA expression of HC supporting the notion that HC was tumour derived. Conclusions: Plasma HC proved to be a useful tumour marker in a patient with FLHCC, and we suggest the use of this protein as a marker of disease progression in these patients.

AB - Aims: No valid markers are routinely available to follow disease progression in patients with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FLHCC). We report data suggesting that the vitamin B12 binding protein haptocorrin (HC) may prove a suitable marker. Methods: We monitored a 15-year-old boy diagnosed to have FLHCC by measuring the common markers alanine aminotransaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and bilirubin, as well as vitamin B12 (B12), and the forms of the B12 binding proteins. Tumour biopsies were examined immunohistologically. DNA and RNA were extracted from tumour and normal tissue and examined for content of HC DNA and mRNA. Results: The only markers indicative of disease progression were HC and (B12), levels of which were markedly elevated to 84 (11) nmol/L at the time of diagnosis and returned to values within the reference interval (0.43 (0.33) nmol/L) after an apparently radical removal of the tumour. The disappearance rate of HC followed a biphasic curve, the unsaturated protein displaying a half-life of 2.8 days and B12 and saturated HC one of 13 days. Before each diagnosed relapse, an increased concentration of HC was observed. We found a strong immunoreaction against HC in tumour tissue and a high mRNA expression of HC supporting the notion that HC was tumour derived. Conclusions: Plasma HC proved to be a useful tumour marker in a patient with FLHCC, and we suggest the use of this protein as a marker of disease progression in these patients.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Carcinoma, Hepatocellular

KW - Disease Progression

KW - Humans

KW - Liver Neoplasms

KW - Male

KW - Tomography, X-Ray Computed

KW - Transcobalamins

KW - Tumor Markers, Biological

U2 - 10.1016/j.ejso.2010.11.001

DO - 10.1016/j.ejso.2010.11.001

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 21111562

SN - 0748-7983

VL - 37

SP - 72

EP - 79

JO - European Journal of Surgical Oncology

JF - European Journal of Surgical Oncology

IS - 1

ER -