Evaluation of serum PIVKA-II and MIF as diagnostic markers for HCV/HBV induced hepatocellular carcinoma

Viral hepatitis is the most significant predisposing factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Liver cancer grows silently with mild or no symptoms until the disease is advanced and with little hope of cure. Early recognition of the onset of HCC would help to select more effective therapies for patients leading to a better prognosis and life span. The current study aims to evaluate two diagnostic and prognostic markers - Prothrombin induced by vitamin K absence-II (PIVKA-II) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in the serum of patients with HCC and those with a high risk of developing hepatic cancers. Serum samples from hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatitis C and normal subjects were subjected to quantitative determinations of different parameters including alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), PIVKA-II and MIF. Significant differences between the various groups were recorded. PIVKA-II and AFP showed a higher specificity and sensitivity compared to MIF, and there was considerable correlation between AFP and both PIVKA and MIF. It is concluded that analysis of PIVKA-II and AFP can serve as useful non-invasive markers for the early detection of HCC with good sensitivity and specificity.