Published online Jun 27, 2025. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i6.104923
Revised: March 13, 2025
Accepted: May 6, 2025
Published online: June 27, 2025
Processing time: 107 Days and 3.2 Hours
Primary liver cancer (PLC) is characterized by high malignancy, rapid disease progression, and persistent high incidence and mortality rates, posing a sig
To probe the clinical significance of CD3+CD161+NKT cell subsets and AFP and GGT changes in the peripheral blood of individuals with PLC.
The PLC group comprised 30 patients diagnosed with PLC who were admitted to our hospital between July 2022 and December 2023, whereas the control group consisted of 30 healthy individuals undergoing routine physical examinations at our hospital. Peripheral blood samples were harvested from both cohorts of patients. The levels of CD4+NKT, CD8+NKT, CD3+CD56+NKT, CD8+CD56+NKT, CD3+CD161+NKT, and CD3-CD161+NKT were measured by flow cytometry. Serum AFP content was determined using a fully automatic immunoassay ana
No significant disparities were observed in the counts of white blood cells, neutrophils, and platelets, as well as the levels of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine between the two groups (P > 0.05). Lymphocytes, red blood cells, hemoglobin, total protein, albumin, and globulin were more attenuated in the PLC group than in the control group, while glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, and carcinoembryonic antigen levels were increased in the PLC cohort compared with the control cohort, with statistical significance (P < 0.05). No substantial difference was discovered in peripheral blood CD4+NKT, CD8+NKT, and CD3+CD56+NKT cells between the two cohorts (P > 0.05). The percentage of CD8+CD56+NKT cells (8.35% ± 1.01%), CD3+CD161+NKT cells (14.36% ± 1.55%), and CD3-CD161+NKT cells (12.08% ± 1.34%) in the PLC group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The levels of AFP (335.71 ± 20.89 ng/mL) and GGT (136.87 ± 15.62 U/mL) in the PLC cohort were elevated within the PLC cohort compared with the control cohort (P < 0.05). The sensitivity of CD8+CD56+NKT, CD3+CD161+NKT, CD3-CD161+NKT, AFP, and GGT alone for diagnosing PLC was 70.00%, 83.33%, 80.00%, 56.67%, and 53.33%, respectively (P < 0.05), with specificity rates of 66.67%, 80.00%, 76.67%, 76.67%, and 66.67%, res
The levels of CD8+CD56+NKT, CD3+CD161+NKT, CD3-CD161+NKT, AFP, and GGT in the peripheral blood of patients with PLC were markedly elevated. The combined detection of these five indicators can improve the sensitivity and specificity of PLC diagnosis, providing solid evidence for the early clinical diagnosis of PLC.
Core Tip: This investigation determined cluster of differentiation 4-positive (CD4+), CD8+, CD3+CD56+, CD8+CD56+, CD3+CD161+, and CD3-CD161+ natural killer T (NKT) cell, alpha fetoprotein (AFP), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels in the peripheral blood samples of patients with primary liver cancer (PLC) and healthy individuals. The aim was to confirm the diagnostic value of NKT cell subsets, AFP, and GGT levels in the context of PLC. The results revealed a marked increase in the levels of CD8+CD56+NKT, CD3+CD161+NKT, CD3-CD161+NKT, AFP, and GGT in patients with PLC. Combining these five indicators for detection enhances the sensitivity and specificity of PLC diagnosis.