ULTRASONOGRAPHIC SCREENING IN THE EARLY D IAGNOSIS OF HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA

The size and the treatment of 135 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) has been analyzed, comparing patients diagnosed by a US screening program (group 1) and these diagnosed outside this program (group 2) to determ ine whether US screening on patients with chronic liver disease is abl e to diagnose (HCC) at an early stage. alpha-fetoprotein levels above 500 U/ml were considered as diagnostic. Twenty (46.5%) out of 43 patie nts from group 1 showed a HCC<5 cm. vs. 14/92 (15.2%) in group 2 (p = 0.001). Only 5.9 % of the HCC < 5 cm. showed AFP > 500 U/ml. vs. 29.7 % of the advanced HCC (p = 0.003). 88.3% of patients of group 1 vs. 63 % of group 2 received specific treatment for HCC (p=0.002). By means o f US screening it is possible to diagnose HCC of smaller size and more susceptible to treatment. AFP is not useful in the early diagnosis of HCC.