| Popis: |
Survivin is specific antiapoptotic gene product expressed in a variety of human neoplasms whose overexpression might assist in early diagnosis and as a prognostic marker.The aim was to evaluate the plasma levels of survivin and alpha fetoprotein in patients with chronic hepatitis C viral infection (HCV) with and without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).70 subjects were divided into: a control group (Group I) (20 healthy volunteers) and two patients groups: Group II, HCV group (20 patients); and Group III, HCC with HCV(30 patients).Thorough physical examination, ultrasonography of the abdomen, laboratory investigations (liver profile, anti-HCV antibodies, hepatitis B surface antigen, Alpha fetoprotein (chemiluminometry) and Survivin (ELISA)) were performed.There was a significant increase in survivin level in HCV patients (Group II) when compared to the control group (p=0.039), along with a significant increase in AFP in Groups II and III when compared to Group I (P0.001 for both). AFP also distinguished between the two HCV groups. The best generated cut off value for AFP was 10.9 ng/ml and for survivin 13.7 pg/ml. Serum survivin diagnostic sensitivity was 53.3%, diagnostic specificity 62.5% and efficiency 58.6%, in contrast to 100%, 92.5% and 95.7%, respectively, for AFP.While survivin showed significant increase in the HCV group, its diagnostic performance was lower and it proved to be less reliable as a tumor marker for HCC than did AFP. |
