Helicobacter pylori infection, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer are common problems in Egypt. We investigated the prevalence of cagA-positive Helicobacter pylori infections among Egyptian adults in relation to presentation (e.g. dyspepsia vs asymptomatic controls) in Minofyia, Egypt. Patients included men or women seeking care for at least 3 months of upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Helicobacter pylori status was determined by rapid urease test and gastric histopathology in patients and by anti-Helicobacter pylori IgG antibodies in controls. CagA status was determined using an anti-cag A ELISA. 99 Helicobacter pylori infected patients were entered including 90 dyspeptic patients (30 each with gastric cancer, peptic ulcer, and non-ulcer dyspepsia) and 9 non-dyspeptic healthy controls. Age ranged from 27 to 78 y (mean 49.5 y); 50% were men. Anti-cagA antibodies were present in 62.2% of dyspeptic patients compared with 11% of asymptomatic controls (p = 0.004). Anti-cagA antibodies were more prevalent among dyspeptic patients with gastric cancer or peptic ulcer (73.3%) compared to those with non-ulcer dyspepsia (40%) (p = 0.004). The prevalence of cagA in Egypt was related to the clinical presentation of Helicobacter pylori infection being lowest in asymptomatic controls (11.1%) and increasingly prevalent in non-ulcer dyspepsia (40%), peptic ulcer (66.7%), and gastric cancer (89%).

Aim of the study The task of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as a prospective goal for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a candidate for research. Several lncRNAs are involved in signal transduction, directing gene expression and epigenetic alteration in normal and cancer cells. Dysregulation of diverse lncRNAs has been involved in the pathogenesis and progression of different cancers including HCC. We aimed to investigate the differential expression of lncRNAs (aHIF, hPVT1, ANRIL) in HCC on top of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. Material and methods 182 participants were included: 85 patients with HCC in addition to 50 patients with cirrhosis on top of chronic HCV or HBV, and 47 healthy subjects as controls. HCC was diagnosed by triphasic computed tomography (CT). Detection of α-fetoprotein (AFP) and serological markers of HCVAb and HBsAg by enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay (ELFA) and quantitation of lncRNAs by real time PCR were applied. Results Upregulation of ANRIL and hPVT1 and downregulation of aHIF were observed in patients with HCC on top of HCV and HBV vs. controls. Circulating aHIF could be of major diagnostic importance to discriminate HCC on top of HCV from cirrhotic patients with sensitivity 86.67% and specificity 91.89% whereas circulating hPVT1 had sensitivity 85.0% and specificity 84.62%; moreover ANRIL had AUC 0.902 and could discriminate HCC on top of HBV from cirrhotic patients. Conclusions The differential expression of lncRNAs (ANRIL, hPVT1 and aHIF) might be of major worth in predicting the occurrence of HCC in cirrhotic patients related to chronic viral hepatitis and could be beneficial in the early management.

Background and study aim:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common neoplasm in the world, and the third most common cause of cancerrelated death. Golgi protein 73 is normally expressed in epithelial cells of many human tissues. GP73 expression is upregulated in hepatocytes, and in serum from patients with hepatitis and liver cirrhosis regardless the etiology. This work aimed to study the diagnostic role of serum Golgi protein 73level as a marker for HCC. Patients and methods:This study was conducted on 48 patients with HCC on top of liver cirrhosis (GI), 20 patients with liver cirrhosis (GII), and 20 healthy controls (GIII). Patient and controls were subjected to careful medical history, full clinical examination and laboratory investigations including CBC, ESR, liver function tests, renal function tests, viral markers, serum AFP and Serum Golgi protein 73 by ELISA. Results:Serum GP73 showed highly significant increase (with P value <0.001) in HCC group X±SD (1765.92±747.99) in comparison with cirrhoticX±SD (772.45±73.84) and control X±SD (458.30±103.03) groups, also significantly increased in cirrhotic group in comparison with control group. There was significant increase in mean values of serum GP73 in patients with HCC associated with portal vein thrombosis or lymph node enlargement also there was significant positive correlationbetween GP73 and tumor size. In diagnosis of HCC, at cut off point 55 ng/ml, AFP had sensitivity 81.3% and specificity 70.0%, and Gp73 at cut off point 847.5 ng/l, the sensitivity was 93.8% and specificity 90.0%. With combined use of AFP and Gp73: the sensitivity of diagnosis of HCC increased to 95.8%. Conclusion:Significant increase in sensitivity, accuracy and negative predictive value with combined use of AFP and Gp73 than AFP alone in diagnosis of HCC.

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