Clinical significance of serum angiocidin levels in hepatocellular carcinoma

Angiocidin, a tumor-secreted protein, was measured in serum of 27 healthy volunteers and 33 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Healthy controls either hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive or negative showed undetectable levels. Patients had levels of angiocidin ranging from 15.09 to 195.73 pg/ml. Patients with stages III-IV had higher levels of angiocidin (97 ± 13 pg/ml, n = 17) compared to those with stages I-II (63 ± 37 pg/ml, n = 16), p < 0.043. Patients with microsatellite tumor nodules had higher average levels (98 ± 55 pg/ml, n = 17) compared to those without microsatellite nodules (51 ± 27 pg/ml, n = 20), p < 0.032. Our studies suggest that angiocidin predicts advanced stage and intra-hepatic metastasis.