Value of serum C-reactive protein measurement in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma superimposed on liver cirrhosis

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Abstract
We investigated whether, in Italian patients, C-reactive protein (CRP) determination could be considered a useful adjunct, complementary to α1-fetoprotein, in the detection of liver cancer. CRP was determined by particle-enhanced nephelometry in 171 subjects (102 male, 69 female). Fifty-five patients had mild chronic liver disease (CLD), 45 cirrhosis (CIR), 38 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); 33 subjects were healthy controls. Patients with HCC and CIR had higher CRP levels (P2 56.0,P1-fetoprotein below or equalling 30 ng/ml, they were 50.0%, 54.3% and 4.3% respectively. In conclusion, CRP concentration is frequently elevated in patients with HCC, however, it does not seem to improve the ability of α1-fetoprotein to discriminate HCC from CIR.