Association of circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 with hepatocellular carcinoma: one cross-sectional correlation study

J Clin Lab Anal. 2010;24(3):195-200. doi: 10.1002/jcla.20320.

Abstract

Deregulation of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several malignancies. This study aimed to investigate the association of changes in circulating IGF-1 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The radioimmunoassay was used to analyze serum IGF-1 levels of 65 HCC patients and 165 healthy subjects. Serum IGF-1 levels were significantly decreased in the HCC patients as compared with the healthy subjects (158.46+/-105.07 vs. 247.63+/-149.96 ng/mL, P<0.001). Furthermore, insulin resistance was significantly higher in the HCC patients than the healthy subjects (P=0.027). In addition, the significant correlations of serum IGF-1 levels with age and insulin resistance in the healthy subjects were not noted in the HCC patients. Intriguingly, individuals with hepatitis C virus (HCV), not hepatitis B virus, had remarkably decreased IGF-1 levels in both groups of the HCC patients and healthy subjects. Moreover, in the HCV subgroup, serum IGF-1 levels were significantly reduced in the HCC patients than the healthy subjects (113.14+/-71.28 vs. 172.42+/-74.02 ng/mL, P=0.003). In conclusion, decreased serum IGF-1 levels were associated with HCC and the decrease was remarkably noted in those patients concomitant with chronic hepatitis C.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging / blood
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Alkaline Phosphatase / blood
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / blood*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / complications
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Hepatitis B / blood
  • Hepatitis B / complications
  • Hepatitis C / blood
  • Hepatitis C / complications
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / blood
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / complications
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / analysis*
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism
  • Lipids / blood
  • Liver Neoplasms / blood*
  • Liver Neoplasms / complications
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Lipids
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Alanine Transaminase
  • Alkaline Phosphatase