Vitamin B12 binding protein as a tumour marker for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract

SUMMARY Grossly raised levels of tumour related vitamin B12 binding protein, reflected by rises in serum vitamin B12 and unsaturated vitamin B12 binding capacity (UBBC), were found in three of 44 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. All three were HBsAg negative and had normal serum alpha fetoprotein levels. The patients did not have underlying cirrhosis and the tumours contained characteristic intracellular inclusions. In the first patient the UBBC level fell during a paitial remission induced by adriamycin therapy and in the second patient UBBC levels rose with progression of her disease. In the third patient serum B12 binding protein levels fell after tumour resection. Assay and subsequent monitoring of serum vitamin B12 and UBCC may prove valuable in the assessment and follow-up of some patients with hepatocellular carcinoma whose alpha fetoprotein levels are normal.

Correlation between Serum Enzymes and Serum Unsaturated Vitamin B(12) Binding Proteins in Primary Liver Carcinoma

“…Waxman and Gilbert [1] sug gested that the increase in serum UBBC in hepatoma is due to a hepatoma Bi 2-binding protein which is closely related to UTC I. This observation has been supported by Kane et al [3]. Both authors claimed that the difference between the hepatoma Bi 2-bind ing protein and UTC I lies in the absolute increase of sialic acid content in the hepa toma B!…”

“…myeloproliferative disorder, acute leukemia [15], and sickle cell disease [16], where strong correlations have been reported. This lack of correlation be tween UTC I and WBC in our hepatoma patients lends weight to the observations of Waxman et al [2] and Kane et al [3] that the increase of UBBC and UTCI in hepatoma is not due to leukocytosis, but due to a special hepatoma Bn binder which is derived from granulocytes and sialylated during transit through the malignant hepatocytes. Our ob servation agrees with Nexo et al [13], Kane et al [3] and Norredam et al [14] that the abnormality of B)2-binding protein in hepa toma is not confined to children and adoles cents alone.…”

“…Increased serum unsaturated Bi2-binding capacity (UBBC) has been observed in hepa toma patients [1][2][3]5], in nonneoplastic chronic liver diseases [3] and in fatty liver [4]. Increased serum unsaturated transcobal amin I (UTC I) has also been reported in hepatoma [1,2,5],…”

“…Evidence has shown that liver diseases are associated with quantitative changes in serum unsaturated vitamin B12 binding [1][2][3][4][5]. Increased serum unsaturated Bi2-binding capacity (UBBC) has been observed in hepa toma patients [1][2][3]5], in nonneoplastic chronic liver diseases [3] and in fatty liver [4].…”

Biochemical Nutritional Profile of Liver Cirrhosis Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

“…Studies suggest that B12 vitamin has a hepatoprotective effect on liver cirrhosis patients (18) and that the dosage of the serum levels could be used as a prognostic marker for followup of HCC patients with regular alpha-fetoprotein levels (20) . However, there are conflicting studies in the literature, with authors that have observed reduction in B12 vitamin levels in HCC patients (22) .…”