The des-γ-carboxy prothrombin index is a new prognostic indicator for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND. Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) has been reported to be an important prognostic factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recently, a monoclonal antibody, 19137, which recognizes the Gla domain of DCP, has been identified. The 19137 antibody recognizes an epitope different from that recognized by MU-3, which is another antibody against DCP. In this study, the authors investigated the measurement of DCP using the antibodies MU-3 and 19B7, respectively, as a prognostic factor for patients with HCC who had solitary, small tumors and or Child Stage A HCC. METHODS. One hundred four patients with HCC who had solitary, small tumors or Child Stage A tumors were enrolled in the study between 1991 and 2001. All patients were treated and were followed for a mean of 3.2 years. The authors analyzed the correlation between the DCP Index (DCP measured by MU-3 and DCP measured by 19137) and patient prognosis. The patients were classified into 3 groups based on their DCP Index: 1) DCP negative (DCP < 40 milli arbitrary unit ([mAU]/mL; 2) low DCP Index (DCP greater than or equal to 40 mAU/mL; MU-3:19B7 ratio, < 3.0; and 3) high DCP Index (DCP greater than or equal to 40 mAU/mL; MU-3:19B7 ratio, greater than or equal to 3.0). RESULTS. The survival rate for patients in the high DCP Index group was lower compared with the survival rate for patients in the DCP-negative group and was significantly lower compared with the survival rate for patients in the low DCP Index group. In a univariate Cox proportional hazards model, the positive factors were high DCP Index and low DCP Index. Among the positive predictive factors that were analyzed using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model were age (hazard ratio, 3.27; P = 0.006), low DCP Index (hazard ratio, 2.87; P = 0.012), and high DCP Index (hazard ratio, 12.3; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS. The prognosis of patients who had a high DCP Index score was poorer compared with patients who had a low DCP Index score and patients who were classified as DCP negative. The authors concluded that the DCP Index is a prognostic indicator for patients with HCC. (C) 2003 American Cancer Society.