Characterization of SCCA-IgM as a biomarker of liver disease in an Asian cohort of patients

Abstract

Viral hepatitis infection is a major global issue and a leading cause of liver disease and associated deaths. Over time, patients infected with hepatitis B (HBV) or C virus (HCV) develop cirrhosis and, eventually, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). For this reason, they need to be constantly monitored. Current Asian guidelines recommend the determination of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) together with liver ultrasounds every six months to detect HCC nodules. However, both methods have several limitations, and other biomarkers have been studied for monitoring cirrhosis, including SCCA-IgM, an immune-complex formed by Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen and IgM. To date, SCCA-IgM has been validated as a novel biomarker for liver diseases only in European populations. The aim of our study was to analyze SCCA-IgM as a biomarker to monitor cirrhosis evolution in an Asian cohort of patients and to compare its performance to that of AFP. We analyzed the concentration of AFP and SCCA-IgM in serum samples obtained from a group of Asian adult patients with cirrhosis or HCC and a control group of patients admitted for gastrointestinal disorders. In untreated patients and similarly to AFP, SCCA-IgM levels were significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis compared to those with HCC. In addition, SCCA-IgM, but not AFP serological levels, were significantly lower in HCC patients who were treated with surgical resection compared to those who received a different therapy.

Keywords:

• HCC
• cirrhosis
• SCCA-IgM

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Dr. Chiara Parrozzani for providing excellent technical assistance.

Disclosure statement

In accordance with Taylor & Francis policy and our ethical obligation as researchers, we are reporting that Andrea Gallotta, Laura Paneghetti, and Giorgio Fassina are employees of Xeptagen S.p.A., a company that may be affected by the research reported in the enclosed paper. We have disclosed those interests fully to Taylor & Francis, and we have in place an approved plan for managing any potential conflict. No potential conflict of interest was reported by the other authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study was entirely supported by Xeptagen S.p.A. The opinions, results and conclusions reported in this paper are those of the authors and are independent from the funding source.