AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical contribution of protein induced by vitamin K absence (PIVKA-II) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnostics and compare it with alpha-foetoprotein (AFP), a routinely used tumour marker. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 332 participants were enrolled in this study: 64 with HCC, 48 with liver metastases of colorectal cancer origin, 42 with liver cirrhosis and 178 healthy individuals. Serum levels of PIVKA-II were measured using the chemiluminescent assay of the Architect 1000i System (Abbott, USA) and AFP levels using the chemiluminescent assay by DxI 800 (Beckman Coulter, USA). RESULTS: PIVKA-II achieved better clinical sensitivity than AFP and the difference in this sensitivity was statistically significant. PIVKA-II achieved the best sensitivity (96.9%) in distinguishing between the HCC and control groups with the proposed cut-off value of 60 mAU/ml. CONCLUSION: Our recommendation is for addition of PIVKA-II to the routine panel of HCC tumour markers.

3rd Internal Medicine Department and 1st Medical Faculty Charles University Prague Czech Republic

Department of Immunochemistry University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen Charles University Czech Republic

Department of Surgery University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen Charles University Czech Republic

Faculty of Health Care Studies University of West Bohemia Pilsen Czech Republic

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