Correlation between preoperative serum alpha-fetoprotein levels and survival with respect to the surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma at a tertiary care hospital in Veracruz, Mexico

• Published in: Revista de gastroenterología de México 2017-10, Vol.82 (4), p.357-360
• Main Authors: Martínez-Mier, G, Esquivel-Torres, S, Nava-Lacorte, A, Lajud-Barquín, F A, Zilli-Hernández, S, Vázquez-Ramírez, L M
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; spa
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; alpha-Fetoproteins - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - blood; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - mortality; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - surgery; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hepatectomy; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Liver Neoplasms - blood; Liver Neoplasms - diagnosis; Liver Neoplasms - mortality; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Male; Mexico; Middle Aged; Preoperative Period; Prospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Survival Rate; Tertiary Care Centers; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0375-0906
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rgmx.2017.03.009

Preoperative serum alpha-fetoprotein levels can have predictive value for hepatocellular carcinoma survival. Our aim was to analyze the correlation between preoperative serum alpha-fetoprotein levels and survival, following the surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Nineteen patients were prospectively followed (07/2005-01/2016). An ROC curve was created to determine the sensitivity and specificity of alpha-fetoprotein in relation to survival (Kaplan-Meier). Of the 19 patients evaluated, 57.9% were men. The mean patient age was 68.1 ± 8.5 years and survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 89.4, 55.9, and 55.9%. The alpha-fetoprotein cutoff point was 15.1 ng/ml (sensitivity 100%, specificity 99.23%). Preoperative alpha-fetoprotein levels below 15.1, 200, 400, and 463 ng/ml correlated with better 1 and 5-year survival rates than levels above 15.1, 200, 400, and 463 ng/ml (P