Assessment of the Value of Mean Platelet Volume, Des Gamma Carboxy Prothrombin and Alpha Feto Protein in Early Detection of HCC

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the commonest primary hepatic neoplasm. The gold standard HCC biomarker is alfa-feto protein (AFP), also mean platelet volume (MPV) is increased in many inflammatory disorders and numerous neoplasms. Des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin (DCP), a protein formed during the synthesis of prothrombin with disturbance in carboxylation with vitamin K defect. Aim of the Work: To determine the value of mean platelet volume, Des gamma Carboxy prothrombin (DCP) and (AFP) in early detection of Hepatocelluler carcinoma. Patients and Methods: 105 patients were enrolled in this study, they were divided into 3 equal groups Group A: Hepatocelluler carcinoma patients (HCC) Group B: Liver cirrhosis patients Group C: Healthy Control group each is 35 patients. MPV, AFP, DCP were evaluated in all groups Results: Our results showed that: AFP, MPV and DCP were highest in HCC group, followed by CLD group and lowest in control group. The differences between all groups were significant in MPV and DCP, with no significant difference between CLD and HCC in AFP. Conclusion: Measurement of MPV is non-invasive, cheap and quick, and may therefore serve as a good predictor of HCC in patients with CLD. Low sensitivity and specificity, on the other hand, suggests that this may be an adjunctive parameter to some other markers like AFP.