AFP- L3% and DCP as Tumor Markers in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) Treated With Transarterial Chemoembolisation (TACE)

Overview

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the tumors with an increasing incidence worldwide. Often treatment possibilities are limited and only palliative treatment such as a transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) is possible. Therapeutic response is evaluated three months after TACE by imaging techniques (CT, MRI). In some HCC patients the tumor marker AFP ( alpha-fetoprotein) is elevated, but not all patients show this elevation. In the last years new tumor markers such as AFP-L3 (subfraction of AFP) and des-y-carboxyprothrombin (DCP) have been examined. In this clinical trial the course of these markers are examined after TACE in order to receive hints if the patient will be a therapeutic responder. Furthermore the investigators are interested in the quality of life after TACE. Patients receive a questionnaire with regard to the quality of life before and 3 months after TACE.

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with transarterial chemoembolisation are enrolled in this clinical trial. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the usefulness of the liver cancer markers AFP, AFP-L3% (subfraction of AFP) and des-y- carboxyprothrombin (DCP) after TACE therapy. Some authors could have shown that AFP-L3% is rising in small tumor nodules under 2 cm and so the markers which should decrease after TACE can give a hint for the therapeutic response after the intervention. So the important aim of this trial is to improve the early detection of tumor recurrence after TACE. Furthermore the quality of life measured by the EORTC QLQ C30 before and after TACE is evaluated.

Conditions

Eligibility