Alpha-fetoprotein and gamma-glutamyltransferase in patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the complications associated with liver cirrhosis (LC). The main objective of the present study was to describe the levels of the serological markers alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) in patients with LC and/or HCC. Methods: Cross sectional study that included 99 patients with a diagnosis of LC and/or HCC. Results: 66 (66.7%) patients had a diagnosis of LC, 23 (23.2%) had LC alongside with HCC and 10 (10.1%) had HCC without LC. AFP levels were higher in individuals with HCC associated with LC when compared with those with LC only (20 and 2.93 ng/ mL, p <0.05), the levels of GGT were also higher in patients with HCC associated with LC (208 and 109 IU/L, p <0.05). Not a single patient with HCC had normal levels of AFP and GGT simultaneously. Conclusions: In patients with HCC associated with LC levels of AFP and GGT were significantly higher than those found in individuals with LC only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]