THE DIAGNOSTIC UTILITY OF SERUM FERRITIN ESTIMATION IN NIGERIAN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA

Serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status and ferritin levels w ere measured in three groups of Nigerian subjects: Group A (n = 14) wi th non-neoplastic disease (CNLD); Group B (n = 14) with primary hepato cellular carcinoma (PHC); and Group C (n = 14) of healthy matched cont rols. Serum ferritin values were lowest in Group C, intermediate in Gr oup A, and highest in the Group B patients (all p < 0.05). About 79% o f the patients with PHC, 43% of those with CNLD, and none (0%) of the healthy controls had hyperferritinemia (serum ferritin > 400 ng/ml). H yperferritinemia and HBsAg positivity coexisted in 15% and 73% of the patients with CNLD and PHC, respectively. Hyperferritinemia and HBsAg were significantly positively related in the patients with PHC (chi(2) 5.09, p < 0.05). The predictive indices of hyperferritinemia in chron ic liver disease appeared superior for PHC than for CNLD, and became s omewhat enhanced with coexisting HBsAg positivity. These results sugge st that serum ferritin could be useful as a tumor marker for PHC in Ni gerian patients with established chronic liver disease.