PLoS ONE (Jan 2015)

Serum Wisteria Floribunda Agglutinin-Positive Mac-2 Binding Protein Values Predict the Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma among Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C after Sustained Virological Response.

  • Ryu Sasaki,
  • Kazumi Yamasaki,
  • Seigo Abiru,
  • Atsumasa Komori,
  • Shinya Nagaoka,
  • Akira Saeki,
  • Satoru Hashimoto,
  • Shigemune Bekki,
  • Yuki Kugiyama,
  • Atsushi Kuno,
  • Masaaki Korenaga,
  • Akira Togayachi,
  • Makoto Ocho,
  • Masashi Mizokami,
  • Hisashi Narimatsu,
  • Tatsuki Ichikawa,
  • Kazuhiko Nakao,
  • Hiroshi Yatsuhashi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0129053
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 6
p. e0129053

Abstract

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Measurement of Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive human Mac-2 binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) in serum was recently shown to be a noninvasive method to assess liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of serum WFA+-M2BP values to predict the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients who achieved a sustained virological response (SVR) by interferon treatment. For this purpose, we retrospectively analyzed 238 patients with SVR who were treated with interferon in our department. Serum WFA+-M2BP values were measured at pre-treatment (pre-Tx), post-treatment (24 weeks after completion of interferon; post-Tx), the time of HCC diagnosis, and the last clinical visit. Of 238 patients with SVR, HCC developed in 16 (6.8%) patients. The average follow-up period was 9.1 years. The cumulative incidence of HCC was 3.4% at 5 years and 7.5% at 10 years. The median pre-Tx and post-Tx WFA+-M2BP values were 1.69 (range: 0.28 to 12.04 cutoff index (COI)) and 0.80 (range: 0.17 to 5.29 COI), respectively. The WFA+-M2BP values decreased significantly after SVR (P 60 years), sex (male), pre-Tx platelet count ( 2.0 COI) were associated with the development of HCC after SVR. Conclusion: Post-Tx WFA+-M2BP (> 2.0 COI) is associated with the risk for development of HCC among patients with SVR. The WFA+-M2BP values could be a new predictor for HCC after SVR.