This study aimed to assess the association between the serum glycobiomarker Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) for liver fibrosis and outcomes and carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with advanced fibrosis. Serum WFA+-M2BP levels were measured in 128 consecutive CHC patients including 49 with HCC histopathologically diagnosed with advanced fibrosis (44 with fibrosis stage F3 and 84 with fibrosis stage F4) in our hospital. The median WFA+-M2BP level was significantly higher in F4 than in F3 patients (6.9 vs. 2.3 cutoff index [COI], respectively; p<0.001). The difference in WFA+-M2BP levels between patients with and without HCC was not significant. The respective 5-/8-yr survival rates of patients without HCC at enrollment with high (≥4 COI, n=39), intermediate (1-4 COI, n=33), and low WFA+-M2BP (<1 COI, n=7) levels were 78%/48%, 100%/82%, and 100%/100%, respectively. The differences in survival rates between groups were significant (p=0.0041). Patients with high WFA+-M2BP levels had a significantly higher incidence of HCC than those with low WFA+-M2BP levels (p=0.0019). Cumulative 5-yr carcinogenesis rates in patients with high, intermediate, and low WFA+-M2BP levels were 48.7%, 16.9%, and 0%, respectively; the differences between groups were significant (p=0.002). Serum WFA+-M2BP levels might allow the prediction of carcinogenesis and outcome in CHC patients with advanced fibrosis.
Keywords: Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive-Mac-2 binding protein (WFA+-M2BP); chronic hepatitis C (CHC); glycobiomarker; hepatocarcinogenesis; liver fibrosis.