Alkaline Phosphatase as Marker of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Alkaline Phosphatase as Marker of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Atif Hussain; Bahawal Khan; . Ziauddin; . Asmatullah; Muhammad Anwar; Noman ul Haq

doi:10.54393/pjhs.v5i10.2059

Authors

Atif Hussain Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute, Lahore, Pakistan
Bahawal Khan Pir Abdul Qasor Shah Jillani Institute of Medical Sciences, Khair Pur Mirs, Pakistan
. Ziauddin Bolan Medical College Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan
. Asmatullah Pir Abdul Qasor Shah Jillani Institute of Medical Sciences, Khair Pur Mirs, Pakistan
Muhammad Anwar Bolan Medical College Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan
Noman ul Haq Bolan Medical College Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/pjhs.v5i10.2059

Keywords:

Diagnostic Accuracy, Rising Alkaline Phosphatase, Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the fifth most common cancer worldwide, is often detected at a late stage and is frequently fatal.. Liver resection is the main treatment for cases originating from normal liver tissue, but most cases arise from diseased liver parenchyma, such as HBV-related cirrhosis. While many studies link alkaline phosphatase (ALP) to HCC, its diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing HCC from other liver disorders remains limited.. Objective: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of rising ALP levels as an indicator for hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: The cross-sectional study at Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, included 130 non-probability sampled patients. Individuals aged 18–65 suspected of first-time hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were included, excluding those with prior HCC diagnosis or biliary obstructions. Triphasic CT scans confirmed HCC and assessed ALP/AFP. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0, showing numerical variables as mean ± SD and categorical variables as frequency/percentage. Results: In 130 patients, ALP-based detection outperformed CT scans (81.40%, 9.20%) in sensitivity (93.00%) and positive predictive value (95.00%). HCC detection and performance vary greatly by age and gender. ALP is sensitive across age (95.00%) and gender (98.00% male, 86.00% female). In 108 positive (83.08%) and 22 negative (16.92%) HCC detections on ALP, demographics affect specificity, supporting nuanced ALP interpretation for accurate HCC diagnosis. Conclusions: Elevated ALP levels serve as risk predictors in HCC patients. The prognostic model proposed in this study has the potential to influence outcomes for patients across different risk groups.

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