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This study aimed to determine the cutoff values and compare the diagnostic role of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and prothrombin induced by vitamin K absence-II (PIVKA-II) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB).
It was found that the optimal cutoff values for PIVKA-II and AFP were 40 mAU/mL and 10 ng/mL, respectively, for the differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from nonmalignant CHB. Based on the study, when PIVKA-II and AFP were combined, the diagnostic power improved significantly compared to either AFP or PIVKA-II alone for the differentiation of HCC from nonmalignant CHB, especially when cirrhosis was present.
Therefore, serum PIVKA-II might be a better tumor marker than AFP, and its combination with AFP may enhance the early detection of HCC in patients with CHB.
Authors: Seung In Seo, Hyoung Su Kim, Won Jin Kim, Woon Geon Shin, Doo Jin Kim, Kyung Ho Kim, Myoung Kuk Jang, Jin Heon Lee, Joo Seop Kim, Hak Yang Kim, Dong Joon Kim, Myung Seok Lee, Choong Kee Park
