Role of bile acids in the prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma in HCV-induced liver cirrhosis

Abstract Background Bile acids are essential organic molecules synthesized from cholesterol in the liver and regarded as indicators of hepatobiliary impairment; however, their role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unclear. The study aimed to examine the feasibility of bile acids in distinguishing HCC from post hepatitis C virus liver cirrhosis. A UPLC/MS was used to measure 14 bile acids in patients with noncirrhotic HCV disease (n = 50), cirrhotic HCV disease (n = 50), hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 50), and control group (n = 50). Results The progression of liver cirrhosis to HCC was associated with a significant increase in serum bile acids compared to the normal or the noncirrhotic HCV disease (p < 0.05). The fold changes in bile acids concentrations showed a trend that HCC > cirrhotic HCV disease > noncirrhotic HCV disease. Four conjugated acids GCA, GCDCA, GUDCA, and TCDCA steadily increased across the different groups. ROC curves analysis revealed that these bile acids discriminated noncirrhotic liver patients from HCC (AUC 0.850–0.963), with a weaker potential to distinguish chronic liver cirrhosis from HCC (AUC 0.414–0.638). Conclusion The level of serum bile acid was associated primarily with liver cirrhosis, with little value in predicting the progress of chronic liver cirrhotic disease into hepatocellular carcinoma.