Value of GPC3 mRNA and AFP mRNA in diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma by fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR

Objective:To explore the value of glypican-3(GPC3)mRNA and alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)mRNA in peripheral blood in diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods: Fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was employed to detect the expression of GPC3 mRNA and AFP mRNA in peripheral blood from patients with HCC(n=72),nonHCC tumor samples(n=22)and controls(n=20).Results: The levels of GPC3 mRNA and AFP mRNA were significantly higher in HCC than nonHCC tumor samples and controls(P0.05),the levels were not much different from those in nonHCC tumor samples and controls(P0.05).The levels of GPC3 mRNA and AFP mRNA seemed to be correlated with tumor diameter,the stage(by TNM classification)of HCC and/or distant metastasis(P0.05),the levels of AFP mRNA also seemed to be correlated with the serum AFP value(P0.05).With combined detection of GPC3 mRNA and AFP mRNA,the sensitivity would be 90.3%,accuracy would be 92.1%.Moreover,there wasn′t correlation between the levels of GPC3 mRNA and AFP mRNA.Conclusion: Detected the expression of GPC3 mRNA and AFP mRNA is useful for diagnosis of primary HCC.