Expression of c-erbB-2 and glutathione S-transferase-pi in hepatocellular carcinoma and its adjacent tissue

AIM： To investigate the possible role of c-erbB-2 and glutathione S-transferase （GST-Pi） in primary hepatocellular carcinogenesis and the relationship between liver hyperplastic nodule （LHN）, liver cirrhosis （LC）, and hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）.METHODS： The expression of c-erbB-2 and GST-Pi was detected immunohistochemically in 42 tissue specimens of HCC and 77 specimens of its adjacent tissue.RESULTS： The positive expression of c-erbB-2 in LHN （28.6%） was significantly higher than that in LC （0%） （P = 0.032〈0.05）, but no significant difference was seen between HCC and LHN or LC （P〉0.05, X^2 = 0.002, 3.447）.The positive expression of GST-Pi in HCC （89.6%） or LHN （72.2%） was significantly higher than that in LC（22.9%, P〈0.001, ;X^2= 49.91, 16.96）. There was a significant difference between HCC and LHN （P〈0.05,X^2= 6.353）.CONCLUSION： The c-erbB-2 expression is an early event in the pathogenesis of HCC. GST-Pi may be a marker enzyme for immunohistochemical detection of human HCC and its preneoplastic lesions. LHN seems to be a preneoplastic lesion related to hepatocarcinogenesis.

Use of power Doppler sonography for differential diagnosis of small hepatocellular carcinoma and adenomatous hyperplastic nodule

To evaluate applicability of power Doppler sonography (PDS) in differential diag nosis of small hepatocellular carcinoma (SHCC) and adenomatous hyperplastic nodu le (AHN) Methods Twenty two cases of SHCC and 15 cases of AHN were investigated by PDS an d the findings were campared with those of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) Results The rates of arterial and portal flow in an afferent tumor vessel were 86 4% a n d 40 9% in SHCCs, respectively The rate of portal flow in an afferent tumor v essel was 60 0% in AHNs, while no arterial flow was detected ( P <0 01) In addition, PDS revealed a constant flow in an efferent tumor vessel (50 0%) c ontinuing to a portal branch in 10 (45 5%) of the 22 SHCCs cases to a hepatic v ein in 1 (4 5%) of the 22 SHCCs, but to nothing else in the AHNs ( P <0 01) Conclusions Power Doppler sonography is of value in distinguishing SHCC from AHN, and arteri al afferent tumor vessels from constant flow efferent tumor vessels at PDS