Glypican-3 is useful but not superior to Hep Par 1 in differentiating hepatocellular carcinoma from other liver tumours
- Author:
Ali Mokhtar Pour
;
Noraidah Masir
;
Isa Mohd Rose
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Hep Par 1;
glypican-3;
primary liver tumour;
immunohistochemical marker
- From:The Malaysian Journal of Pathology
2016;38(3):229-233
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
To assess the diagnostic utility of glypican-3 (GPC-3) in comparison to Hep Par 1 in the diagnosis of
liver tumours, a cross-sectional study involving 66 resected liver tumours were tested for the protein
expression of these markers by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies. Of the 66 cases,
26 (39.4%) were hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 4 (6.1%) were intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
and 36 (54.5%) were metastatic tumours. Hep Par 1 and GPC-3 expressions in HCC were 24/26
(92.3%) and 19/26 (73.1%) respectively. In contrast, of non-HCC cases, only 2/40 cases (5.0%)
expressed Hep Par 1, including a metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma and a metastatic gastric
adenocarcinoma. GPC-3 was expressed in 3/40 cases (7.5%), i.e. a metastatic adenocarcinoma of
unknown origin, a metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma and an intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The
sensitivity and specificity for Hep Par 1 were 92.3% and 95% respectively while that of GPC-3 was
73.1% and 92.5% respectively. GPC-3 is a useful marker in the diagnosis of HCC. However it is
not superior to Hep Par 1 in its sensitivity and specificity. We recommend that it is utilized together
with Hep Par 1 as a panel in the diagnosis of HCC.
