Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 1 Serum markers for HCC

Alpha-1 fetoprotein

Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive AFP (AFP-L3)

Des-gamma carboxyprothrombin (DCP)

α-L-Fucosidase

Glypican-3

Squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA)

Golgi protein 73 (GP73)

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)

Serum proteomics

Table 2 EASL consensus diagnostic criteria for HCC (adapted from Bruix et al[115], 2001)

Cyto-histological criteria

Non-invasive criteria (restricted to patients with cirrhosis)

Radiological criteria: two coincident imaging techniques

Focal lesion > 2 cm with arterial hypervascularisation

Combined criteria: one imaging technique associated with elevated serum AFP levels

Focal lesion > 2 cm with arterial hypervascularisation

AFP levels > 400 ng/mL

Table 3 Diagnostic criteria for HCC (adapted from Bruix et al[85], 2006)

Cyto-histological criteria

Non-invasive criteria (cirrhotic patients)

Focal lesion ≤ 2 cm. Two imaging techniques with arterial hypervascularisation and venous washout

Focal lesion > 2 cm. One imaging technique with arterial hypervascularisation and venous washout