Serum level of hepcidin in cirrhotic patients as a marker for hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

People all around the world are affected by primary liver cancers like hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is usually associated with cirrhosis. Early HCC detection is crucial for better prognosis, but effective biomarkers are still needed. Hepcidin, a hormone-regulating iron homeostasis, has been implicated in liver diseases. In this study, blood hepcidin levels were evaluated in cirrhotic individuals as a possible biomarker for HCC. There were three groups involved in this case-control study: cirrhotic patients with no HCC (group I), cirrhotic patients diagnosed with HCC (group II), and healthy controls (group III). Clinical and laboratory data, such as those from tests indicating the liver function, hepcidin levels, and imaging, were all analyzed using a number of statistical tests. When compared to those with cirrhosis, serum hepcidin levels were significantly lower in HCC patients, but there was no significant difference statistically between the two studies involved: cirrhotic groups and the controls. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was also significantly greater in HCC patients. The start and progression of liver diseases, such as HCC in cirrhotic people, appear to be influenced by hepcidin. It can be utilized as a potential HCC biomarker when cirrhotic liver is present, despite the fact that it cannot be used to diagnose cirrhosis by itself.