The dissemination of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells into the circulation plays
a critical role in postoperative recurrence and metastasis. Early detection of
metastatic tumor cells is critical to identify HCC patients at high risk of relapse.
MAGE-3 and -4 genes were evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain
reaction for the possibility of using them as new markers for early detection of
metastases in 160 HCV Egyptian patients, 115 of them were complicated with HCC.
The expression of MAGE-3 and MAGE-4 mRNA in peripheral blood of patients with
metastatic HCC, were 36 % and 52%, respectively. While the expression of MAGE-3
and MAGE-4 mRNA in peripheral blood of patients with localized HCC, were 12 %
and 16%, respectively. Moreover at least one type of MAGE-3 or MAGE-4 mRNA
was found in the peripheral blood of 68% of the metastatic HCC patients and in 20%
of the localized HCC patients. While neither the controls nor the cirrhotic patients
show expression of MAGE-4 mRNA in their peripheral blood. MAGE-3 and MAGE-4
may be a promising diagnostic tool for monitoring the prognosis of HCC patients and
early detection of occult hematogenous metastasis of HCC.