Abstract: Objective To investigate the value of combined detection of serum YKL-40 and AFP on the
prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after surgery. Methods Clinical data of 158 patients who
underwent radical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma admitted into Qilu Hospital of Shandong University
from July 2011 to December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Total of 245 healthy cases in the same period
were included as health control. According to the serum level of YKL-40 and AFP, patients with hepatocellular
carcinoma were divided into four groups: group A (39 cases): YKL-40 and AFP were both normal; group
B (30 cases): YKL-40 were normal and AFP elevated; group C (42 cases): YKL-40 elevated and AFP were
normal; group D (47 cases): YKL-40 and AFP both elevated. The serum YKL-40 level was determined by
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier
method and compared by the log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was performed to
identify the independent prognostic factors. Results The serum YKL-40 level in patients with hepatocellular
carcinoma after surgery was significantly higher than that in healthy individuals (t = 3.307, P < 0.001), and
it was correlated with tumor number and TNM stages (χ 2 = 9.885, 5.667; P = 0.002, 0.017). The log-rank test
showed that there were significant differences among the four groups in the overall survival and recurrence-
free survival (χ 2 = 9.350, 10.982; P = 0.025, 0.001). The B, C and D groups which had no differences on their
overall survival (χ 2 = 4.493, P = 0.128) were merged into group E (119 cases) and the A, B and C groups
without differences on their recurrence-free survival (χ 2 = 4.493, P = 0.128) were merged into group F (111
cases). The overall survival in group A (normal YKL-40 and low AFP) were better (χ 2 = 6.128, P = 0.014)
than that of group E (YKL-40 and AFP solely or both elevated) and the rate of recurrence-free survival of
group D (elevated YKL-40 and high AFP group) were lower (χ 2 = 11.275, P < 0.001) than that of group F
(YKL-40 and AFP solely elevated or were both normal). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that
the combination of YKL-40 and AFP was an independent prognostic factor for patients with hepatocellular
carcinoma. Conclusion The combination of YKL-40 and AFP serum YKL-40 could potently predict the
outcomes of patients with HCC and it may be a beneficial recruitment for TNM stages determination on
prognosis of patients after surgery.
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