Published online Aug 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i31.10944
Revised: April 1, 2014
Accepted: May 19, 2014
Published online: August 21, 2014
Processing time: 208 Days and 3.9 Hours
AIM: To determine the prognostic value of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) .
METHODS: We analyzed the outcome of 172 HCC patients who underwent liver resection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the cut-off value of ALP and GGT. Then, preoperative risk factors for survival were evaluated by multivariate analysis. Based on the significant factors, a prognostic score model was established.
RESULTS: By ROC curve analysis, ALP > 120 U/L and GGT > 115 U/L were considered elevated. Overall survival (OS) and tumor-free survival (TFS) for patients with elevated ALP and GGT were significantly worse than for patients with ALP and GGT within the normal range. Multivariate analysis showed that the elevated levels of ALP, GGT and tumor size were independent prognostic factors. Giving each positive factor as a score of 1, we established a preoperative prognostic score model. The 5-year OS for patients with a score of 0, 1, 2 and 3 were 84.0%, 45.9%, 44.1% and 0%, respectively, while the TFS was 80.6%, 40.0%, 38.8% and 0%, respectively. When combining patients with scores of 1 and 2 into the middle risk group, and patients with scores of 0 and 3 into the low-risk and high-risk groups, respectively, different outcomes would be significantly distinguished by the risk groups.
CONCLUSION: Elevated ALP and GGT levels were risk predictors in HCC patients. Our prognostic model might vary the outcomes of patients from different risk groups.
Core tip: To determine the optimal cut-off value of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) to predict hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis after liver resection, and to establish a scoring model, we analyzed the outcome of 172 HCC patients who underwent liver resection. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the cut-off value of ALP and GGT. Preoperative risk factors for survival were evaluated by multivariate analysis. Based on the significant factors, a prognostic scoring model was established. Our model might affect the outcome of patients in different risk groups, and was superior to the traditional risk markers.