Dickkopf-1 and β-catenin as Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background & Aims: The clinical value of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) as a marker to detect early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been questioned owing to its low sensitivity and specificity. The purpose of this work was to investigate whether serum Wnt/β-catenin and DKK1 levels in chronic hepatitis C patients could be used as early predictors for the risk of HCC development. Methods: The study was conducted on 37 healthy controls, and 150 CHC patients were divided into three groups: CHC, liver cirrhosis (LC), and HCC patients. AFP, AFP-L3, β-catenin, and DKK-1 were assayed by ELISA. Results: Both β-catenin and DKK1 levels significantly increased (p
Source: Current Cancer Therapy Reviews - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research