Acylcarnitine: Useful biomarker for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in non-steatohepatitis patients

Figure 1 Differences in carnitine, tumor markers, and angiogenic factors between non-steatohepatitis patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma. A: Level of AFP; B: Level of DCP; C: Level of AFP-L3%; D: Level of VEGF; E: Level of VEGFR-2; F: Level of total carnitine; G: Level of free carnitine; H: Level of acylcarnitine. The level of acylcarnitine (H) was significantly lower in non-SH patients with HCC vs that observed in non-SH patients without HCC (P < 0.05). In addition, the level of AFP-L3% (C) was significantly higher in non-SH patients with HCC compared with that reported in non-SH patients without HCC (P < 0.05). However, the levels of AFP, DCP, VEGF, VEGFR-2, total carnitine, and free carnitine (A, B, D, E, F, and G) were not different between the two groups of patients. SH: Steatohepatitis; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; AFP: α-Fetoprotein; DCP: Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin; AFP-L3%: Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive α-fetoprotein; VEGF: Vascular endothelial growth factor; VEGFR-2: VEGF receptor-2.