Observational Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Aug 15, 2023; 15(8): 1486-1496
Published online Aug 15, 2023. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i8.1486
Table 1 Characteristics of the study population (n = 2206)
CharacteristicTraining cohort
Validation cohort
HCC (n = 496)
Non-HCC (n = 1243)
HCC (n = 156)
Non-HCC (n = 311)
Age (yr)57.86 ± 11.89a53.84 ± 14.5358.47 ± 11.87b54.33 ± 13.53
Gender
    Male, n (%)411 (82.9)a759 (61.1)131 (84.0)b169 (54.3%)
    Female, n (%)85 (17.1)a484 (38.9)25 (16.0)b142 (45.7%)
PIVKA-II, mAU/mL1321.03 (117.91-9792.97)a24.04 (18.21-37.02)1337.95 (92.76-11380.07)b22.69 (16.92-32.41)
AFP, ng/mL178.65 (8.33-6474.00)a3.60 (1.80-11.75)145.45 (6.25-2439.10)b3.70 (1.90-8.75)
TBIL, μmol/L21.20 (15.60-31.85)a29.80 (15.70-127.50)21.20 (14.43-32.73)b27.40 (15.45-94.05)
GGT, IU/L130.00 (59.75-279.75)a78.20 (29.00-197.00)145.40 (60.75-272.75)b63.00 (25.00-168.35)
AST, U/L61.10 (38.00-110.00)a56.00 (28.00-178.00)60.00 (37.00-102.83)b49.00 (25.00-147.80)
ALT, U/L42.00 (26.00-70.00)a44.00 (21.00-210.85)43.00 (25.57-68.00)b37.00 (19.50-149.00)
TBA, μmol/L11.10 (4.50-27.45)a18.80 (4.10-123.95)10.20 (4.27-22.10)b16.20 (4.00-97.45)
ALB, g/L37.10 (32.30-41.40)a36.10 (30.00-42.20)37.75 (34.00-41.42)b36.80 (30.85-41.90)
HBsAg
    Positive, n (%)388 (78.2)a555 (44.7)123 (78.8)b131 (42.1)
    Negative, n (%)108 (21.8)a688 (55.3)33 (21.2)b180 (57.9)
Child Pugh Class
    Class A, n (%)317 (63.9)a583 (46.9)103 (66.0)b155 (49.8)
    Class B, n (%)151 (30.4)a430 (34.6)45 (28.8)b103 (33.1)
    Class C, n (%)28 (5.6)a230 (18.5)8 (5.1)b53 (17.0)
Table 2 Alpha-fetoprotein, protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II, or both in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Training cohort
Validation cohort
AUC (95%CI)
SEN (%)
SPE (%)
PPV (%)
NPV (%)
AUC (95%CI)
SEN (%)
SPE (%)
PPV (%)
NPV (%)
HCC
    AFP0.812 (0.788-0.815)49.1993.0042.2194.630.845 (0.786-0.880)52.5691.0049.0492.09
    PIVKA-II0.882 (0.865-0.903)63.9194.9351.2196.930.878 (0.839-0.916)64.7494.5357.3595.93
    AFP + PIVKA-II0.896 (0.877-0.915)69.3595.8255.5197.650.888 (0.851-0.924)67.9595.1759.8396.56
Early-stage HCC
    AFP0.860 (0.792-0.928)51.0697.4982.7789.400.714 (0.642-0.787)14.5598.4972.7080.66
    PIVKA-II0.863 (0.790-0.936)40.4396.9875.9787.330.868 (0.802-0.935)52.7396.4880.5588.07
    AFP + PIVKA-II0.923 (0.869-0.978)63.8396.9883.3191.900.869 (0.804-0.933)50.9195.9877.7887.61
Table 3 Diagnostic performance of hepatocellular carcinoma, early hepatocellular carcinoma, and different subgroups of hepatocellular carcinoma in the NSMC-hepatocellular carcinoma model
Cut-off valueTraining cohort
Validation cohort
AUC (95%CI)
SEN (%)
SPE (%)
PPV (%)
NPV (%)
AUC (95%CI)
SEN (%)
SPE (%)
PPV (%)
NPV (%)
HCC0.220.960 (0.950-0.971)94.4095.3587.2598.100.966 (0.945-0.986)90.0094.2089.8795.47
Early HCC0.946 (0.901-0.991)85.9393.6261.1198.280.947 (0.901-0.994)89.1098.4994.2397.02
Table 4 Proposed risk scale and corresponding probability of predictive risk of hepatocellular carcinoma
Risk level
Probability of risk
PPV (%)
NPV (%)
Low risk0.000-0.007NA≥ 99.00
Moderate risk0.008-0.220NA< 99.00
High risk0.221-0.940< 99.00NA
Most likely HCC0.941-1.000≥ 99.00NA