Relationship between Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive α-fetoprotein and pathologic features of hepatocellular carcinoma

Aim: We investigated pathological features of Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive α-fetoprotein (AFP-L3)-positive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in order to seek a pathological basis of poor prognosis of HCC patients with elevated AFP-L3. Methods: A total of 111 patients with HCC ≤ 5 cm in diameter who underwent hepatic resection were studied. Serum AFP-L3 concentration was measured within a month prior to surgery by lectin-affinity electrophoresis coupled with antibody-affinity blotting, and expressed as AFP-L3 percentage of total AFP. AFP-L3 of 10% or higher was judged to be positive. Pathologic features of resected HCC specimens were evaluated and classified concerning growth pattern (expansive or infiltrative growth), capsule formation, capsule infiltration, septal formation, portal vein invasion, hepatic vein invasion, bile duct invasion, and intrahepatic metastasis. These macroscopic and microscopic findings were compared between AFP-L3-positive and negative HCC specimens. Results: Thirty-three (29.7%) were positive for AFP-L3. The prevalence of HCC with infiltrative growth, with capsule infiltration, with septum formation, with portal vein invasion, and with hepatic vein invasion was significantly higher in AFP-L3-positive group (P = 0.0121, 0.0290, 0.0442, 0.0314, and 0.0433, respectively). These pathologic features reportedly indicate the progression of the tumor. Conclusions: AFP-L3-positive HCC had several pathologic features of progressed state of HCC, which accounted for the AFP-L3 as an indicator of poor prognosis of HCC.