Clinical Significance of Serum Angiopoietin 2 in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Background: Angiopoietin 2 (ANG-2) is essential for blood vessel development, stability, and remodeling. Objective: We aimed to find out the potential use of serum ANG-2 as a diagnostic indicator for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients and Methods: The present investigation included 80 participants who were categorized as follows: 30 individuals diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, 30 individuals diagnosed with HCC, and 20 healthy individuals serving as control group. The ages of participants ranged between 35 and 65 years. Results: ANG-2 levels demonstrated a significant increase within the HCC group compared to the other two study groups and also in the liver cirrhosis group if compared to the healthy individuals. Age, bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, Child-Pugh score, alanine transaminase, Barcelona Clinic Liver Classification stages, and tumor characteristics were significantly positively correlated with ANG-2 in the HCC group. A statistically significant negative connection was observed between the levels of albumin and ANG-2, as well as between ANG-2 and platelets. Conclusions: ANG-2 has the potential to serve as a diagnostic indicator in HCC and may also play an important function in controlling the advancement of liver disease. Additionally, it has been demonstrated to be very valuable in identifying individuals with aggressive tumors.