Liver cancer laboratory test items

What are the laboratory tests for liver cancer? Many times, liver patients will experience mild pain symptoms in the early stages, but they do not know what tests to do to understand the condition of the liver. Due to the diversity of liver examinations, specific examinations need to be combined with medical history. Some examination items are listed below.

Liver function test items: indicators reflecting liver parenchymal damage

It mainly includes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), etc. ALT is the most commonly used sensitive indicator. When 1% of liver cells are necrotic, the serum ALT level can increase by 1 times. Continuous increase of AST, which exceeds ALT, often indicates severe liver parenchymal damage and is a sign of worsening chronicity.

Liver function test items: indicators reflecting bilirubin metabolism and cholestasis

Mainly including total bilirubin (TBil), direct and indirect bilirubin, urine bilirubin, urobilinogen, blood bile acid (TBA), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γGT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The above indicators may increase when there is liver cell degeneration and necrosis, bilirubin metabolism disorder or intrahepatic cholestasis. Indirect bilirubin may increase in hemolytic jaundice.

Liver function test items: indicators reflecting the liver's synthetic function

It mainly includes albumin, prealbumin, cholinesterase, prothrombin time and activity. When albumin and cholinesterase are low and prothrombin activity is decreased for a long time and vitamin K supplementation cannot correct the condition, it means that normal liver cells are gradually decreasing, liver cells have poor function in synthesizing proteins and coagulation factors, liver reserve function is reduced, and the prognosis is poor.

Liver function test items: indicators reflecting liver fibrosis

Mainly including type III procollagen (PⅢP), type IV collagen (CⅣ), hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), etc. These indicators can assist in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis and early cirrhosis

Liver function test items: liver coagulation function test indicators

The liver can synthesize all coagulation factors except factor III and factor a chain, and plays an important role in maintaining normal coagulation function. The synthesis of coagulation factors in patients with liver disease is reduced, and clinically, bleeding from the gums and nasal mucosa, ecchymosis of the skin, and gastrointestinal bleeding may occur in severe cases. Generally, factor VII appears first and decreases the most, followed by factors II and X, and factor V appears last and decreases the least.

A. Prothrombin time (PT)

The normal value is 11 to 15 seconds. It is significant if it is extended by more than 3 seconds compared with the normal control. The PT is normal in acute hepatitis and mild chronic hepatitis, and significantly prolonged in patients with severe hepatocyte necrosis and cirrhosis. PT is a sensitive indicator that reflects the degree of hepatocyte damage and determines prognosis.

B. Prothrombin activity (PTA)

The normal value is 80% to 100%, and its clinical significance is the same as PT.

C. Hepatic thromboplastin test (HPT)

When liver disease develops to hepatocellular failure, the HPT decreases significantly, usually below 0.5. If the HPT gradually recovers, the prognosis is good.

The liver examination is mainly to check whether the liver cells and functions are normal. Once the liver is abnormal, the patient must receive timely treatment. In severe cases, chemotherapy is required to avoid the occurrence of liver failure symptoms.