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VOLUME 2 , ISSUE 1 ( January-June, 2012 ) > List of Articles

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Iron Load and Serum Hepcidin in Hepatitis C Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Nehad M Tawfik, Mona A Hegazy, Inas A Abdel Maksoud, Aml S Nasr

Citation Information : M Tawfik N, A Hegazy M, A Abdel Maksoud I, S Nasr A. Iron Load and Serum Hepcidin in Hepatitis C Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol 2012; 2 (1):24-27.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1026

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 01-08-2018

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2012; The Author(s).


Abstract

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of death worldwide, and chronic inflammatory stress caused by hepatitis viruses plays a major role in HCC carcinogenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of serum hepcidin and its correlation with iron overload in HCC. Study design: The study was carried out on 50 hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC cirrhotic patients (Group I) and 20 age-matched non-HCC liver cirrhosis patients as control (Group II). Serum hepcidin was measured in all samples with a commercial immunoassay. The extent of iron deposition was evaluated in liver histochemically. Results: There was no relationship between the serum hepcidin level and the histological grade of HCC (p = 0.1492), or multiplicity of focal lesion (p = 0.0719), however, hepatic iron deposition was significant higher in HCC than non-HCC cirrhotic patients (p < 0.005). Conclusion: The current study suggests a positive association of hepatic iron score, but the role of hepcidin in this context remains to be elucidated.


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