ORIGINAL ARTICLE East J Med 21(3): 113-118, 2016 Plasma cobalamin level as a considered tumor marker for hepatocellular Carcinoma Ersoy Öksüz1,*, Murat Öksüz2, Türker Egesel2, Gürsel Özgür3, Gülşah Saydaoğlu4 1Department of Medical Pharmacology, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey 2Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Adana Numune Hospital and Ortadoğu Hospital Adana, Turkey 3Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Askın Tüfekci State Hospital Adana, Turkey 4Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey ABSTRACT Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancer among men and women. There are many serological tumor markers for the diagnosis of HCC. These are alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin, vitamin B12 binding protein and HCC associated alkaline phosphatase. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using vitamin B12 as a tumor marker for HCC. This cross sectional study was performed during a 2 year period, and serum samples were obtained from 38 HCC, 57 non- cancerous cirrhotic and 82 healthy control groups. Vitamin B12 levels were determined by using an automated chemiluminescence system test kit. All HCC patients also had an underlying cirrhotic pattern. The period of the previous liver disease was 30.7±26.3 month in cirrhotic patients and 15.4±10 month in the HCC group. AFP and vitamin B12 levels in HCC patients were significantly higher (median AFP: 219 ng/ml, median B12:1106 ng/ml) than cirrhosis patients (median AFP:9,7 ng/ml, median B12:445 ng/ml) and control group (median B12:442 ng/ml) (p<0,001). In the HCC group, there was a good positive correlation between level of vitamin B12 and AFP (p:0.002) but this correlation was not appeared in cirrhosis group. We also examined whether the correlation between the tumor size and vitamin B12 levels and AFP levels. There was no correlation between these parameters (p>0.05). Vitamin B12 levels can be useful as tumor marker in addition to other tumor markers and imaging modalities. Additional studies should be performed related to this subject and the other liver masses without malignancies. Key Words: Cobalamin, vitamin B12, tumor marker, HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma Introduction really important for high risked individuals because HCC are detected at an early stage have a Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most 5-year survival that exceeds 50% with appropriate common cancer in men and ninth most common in treatment. Therefore American Association for women, however the second most common cause of the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) guidelines death from cancer worldwide (1). HCC is a neoplasm recommend screening at risk populations for HCC the incidence of which is increasing worldwide, but every 6 months with an ultrasound, although other striking geographical differences are observed for societies recommend AFP in addition to both risk factors and occurrence. The incidence of ultrasound for improved sensitivity of screening HCC is the highest in those with hepatitis B (HBV) (1). However Plasma levels of AFP is increased in and hepatitis C (HCV) related cirrhosis, however approximately 80% of patients with HCC but may even those with non-cirrhotic HBV or HCV are at show normal levels, especially in patients with increased risk for HCC (2). small tumors’ size (<4 cm). In addition, falsely The mainstay for the diagnosis for HCC includes elevated levels are seen in patients suffering from serological tumor markers, such as alpha- inflammation, such as in patients with viral fetoprotein (AFP), des-gamma- hepatitis (4). carboxyprothrombin, vitamin B12 binding protein Vitamin B12 contains a cobalt complex and is and HCC-associated alkaline phosphatase, as well therefore also called cobalamin (5). Vitamin B12 is as imaging modalities. They do not correlate, but a coenzyme for two physiologically important complement each other (3). Using screen tests are functions in humans: 1- the synthesis of *Corresponding Author: Ersoy Öksüz, Yuzuncu Yil University, Department of Medical Pharmacology, Tusba 65080 Van, Turkey, Tel: +90 444 50 65, Fax: +90 (432) 486 54 13, Mobil phone: 0 (532) 705 54 86, E-mail: [email protected] Received: 02.08.2016, Accepted: 15.11.2016 Öksüz et al / Plasma cobalamin levels in HCC methionine, and 2- the conversion of none of the patient surgical resection, ethanol methylmalonic acid to succinic acid. Also, the injection or chemoembolization had been synthesis of methionine requires methylcobalamin. performed. Also none of cirrhotic patients and Therefore all living cells require vitamin B12, control group had applied vitamin B12 treatment. rapidly dividing tumor cells have a highly Tumor morphology and the appropriate HCC increased need for this vitamin (6,7). Three stage were classified according to the Okuda proteins such as intrinsic factor (IF), staging system and CLIP score (The cancer of the transcobalamin (TC), and haptocorrin (HC) are liver Italian Program) (11-14). Staging procedures involved in the uptake and transport of cobalamin. included contrast-enhanced computer assisted Vitamin B12 is known to accumulate at high levels tomography and serum AFP measurement in the liver. Therefore, the concentration of performed by Standard RIA; AFP levels were vitamin B12 in the blood rises in the presence of categorized (≤400 or >400) according to the acute or chronic liver disease (8). Therefore when criteria of the CLIP. Data were collected regarding the liver is injured, stored vitamin B12 leaks out the HCC morphology (uninodular, multinodular into the blood, which causes a severe B12-deficit or massive) and portal vein thrombosis (absent or in the liver. present). Liver function and severity of liver Most of the studies indicate that patients with disease were evaluated by Child–Pugh score and chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, HCC have higher model of end-stage liver disease score (MELD level of serum cobalamin, HC ve TC II than score). normal patients (9). These high level results can be Laboratory procedure: Serum samples were considered as marker of tumor and also can be collected at the time of diagnosis before the directly associated with progression of disease or treatment. Vitamin B12 levels were measured by size of tumor (10). Therefore B12 vitamin screen using automated chemiluminescence method with tests are considered as really important for their commercial kits (ADVIA-Centaur; Bayer, diagnosis of liver disease. New York, USA). The normal range for vitamin The present study evaluated level of vitamin B12 B12 was admitted as 180 to 710 pg/ml by the kit and possible tumor marker in patients with HCC insert. Also all patients were evaluated for and cirrhosis. hemogram, biochemical parameters, folic acid and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for portal Materials and methods hypertension. Statistics: This study was designed as a cross Ethics: All patients provided written informed sectional study, but control subjects were also consent to participate. The study protocol used. Statistical tests were performed using the conforms to the ethical guidelines of the 1975 Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Declaration of Helsinki as reflected in a priori version 15.0 software (IBM; Armonk, NY, USA). approval by the institution's human research Data are expressed as mean±SD, median and committee. The protocols used in this range. For grouped data multivariate analysis of investigation were approved by the ethics variance (ANOVA) was applied, and, if a committee. difference was found, this was followed by Patients: This study was performed during a 2 Student’s unpaired t-test. The chi-square test or year period, and serum samples were obtained Fisher’s exact test were used to compare from 38 HCC patients, 57 non-cancerous cirrhotic qualitative variables. For quantitative variables, the patients and 82 healthy control groups. We normality of distribution was checked statistically. diagnosed with the HCC according to supporting When distribution was detected normal, the t-test findings of either based on AFP levels of >400 was used. When normal distribution was rejected, ng/ml and ultrasonography or computed the Mann-Whitney test was used. For the tomography. The diagnosis of HCC was also correlation test, Spearman’s rank correlation test supported by liver biopsy. Between July 2010 and was used. From this estimates, odds ratio (OR) October 2011 biopsy samples from 38 HCC and with 95% confidence interval were computed. 57 cirrhotic patients were obtained through Significance was assumed at the p< 0.05 level. percutanous by using 16 to 18 gauge true-cut needles, or under diagnostic laparoscopy. HCC Results patients were naive. Cirrhosis was underlying liver disease in all of HCC patients. None of them had The various demographic, clinical, and laboratory received treatment such as vitamin B12, and in data of the patients are shown in Table 1. Other East J Med Volume:21, Number:3, July-September/2016 114 Öksüz et al / Plasma cobalamin levels in HCC Table 1. Demographic, clinic and laboratory data of the patients HCC n=38 Mean±SD Median Cirrhosis n =57 Mean±SD p value (Min-Max) Median (Min-Max) Gender (F/M) 4/34 17/40 0.04 Age 57.3±9.2 55.3±8.1 58 55 42-75 43-70 0.2 Folic acid (ng/ml) 10.8±5.6 13.8±9.9 10 11.8 1.1-24.5 2.2-37.7 0.2 ALT, IU/L 163±254 65±28 53 54 19-1020 21-162 0.3 AST, IU/L 201±237 71±34 11.5 60 41-844 33-154 0.000 ALP, IU/L 376±301 279±114 289 263 138-1468 164-595 0.3 GGT, IU/L 150±102 69±52 119 55 38-450 13-198 0.003 Haemoglobin (g/dl) 12.2±2.2 12.5±2.2 12.7 12.8 7-15.9 8-15.8 0.3 AFP 7677±13778 9.7±12.5 219 5.6 5.4-45852 2.3-56 0.000 ALT: Alanine transaminase, AST: Aspartate aminotransferase, ALP: Alkaline phosphatase, GGT: Gama Glutamil Transferase, AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein Table 2.