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. 2019 Dec 27;9(1):20126.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-56633-2.

Serum Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen-Immunoglobulin M complex levels predict survival in patients with cirrhosis

Marco Cagnin  1 , Alessandra Biasiolo  1 , Andrea Martini  1 , Mariagrazia Ruvoletto  1 , Santina Quarta  1 , Silvano Fasolato  1 , Paolo Angeli  1 , Giorgio Fassina  2 , Patrizia Pontisso  3
Affiliations

Serum Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen-Immunoglobulin M complex levels predict survival in patients with cirrhosis

Marco Cagnin et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Complications of chronic liver diseases - particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) - are a major cause of mortality worldwide. Several studies have shown that high or increasing levels of serum Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen-Immunoglobulin M complex (SCCA-IgM) are associated with development of HCC in patients with advanced liver disease and worse survival in patients with liver cancer. The aim of the present study was to assess, in patients with advanced liver disease, differences in long-term clinical outcomes in relation to baseline levels of serum SCCA-IgM. Ninety one consecutive outpatients with liver cirrhosis of different etiologies, without hepatocellular carcinoma at presentation, were enrolled from April 2007 to October 2012 in a prospective study. For a median time of 127 months, patients were bi-annually re-evaluated. SCCA-IgM complex levels were determined with a validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results provided evidence that serum SCCA-IgM is a predictor of overall survival. The best cut-off to discriminate both HCC-free and overall survival rates was 120 AU/mL. Patients with baseline values higher than this threshold showed a substantial increase in both HCC incidence rate and all-cause mortality rate. In conclusion, a single measurement of serum SCCA-IgM helps to identify those patients with liver cirrhosis with increased risks of HCC development and mortality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparison of HCC cumulative risks of the study population, here stratified by baseline levels of serum SCCA-IgM.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of overall survival rates of the study population, here stratified by baseline levels of serum SCCA-IgM.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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