Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40287496›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Accurate quantification of cell-free Ceruloplasmin mRNA as a biomarker for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Minh Ngo, Trang Dao, Trang Hoang, Ung Nguyen, Jakob Stenman, Huy Duong, Tho Ho

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Minh NgoDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 103 Military Hospital, Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Trang DaoDepartment of Genomics and Cytogenetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Pharmacy (IBP), Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Trang HoangDepartment of Genomics and Cytogenetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Pharmacy (IBP), Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Ung NguyenDepartment of Genomics and Cytogenetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Pharmacy (IBP), Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Jakob StenmanChildhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Huy DuongDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 103 Military Hospital, Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Tho HoDepartment of Genomics and Cytogenetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Pharmacy (IBP), Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam. hohuutho@vmmu.edu.vn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Accurate and early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is critical for improving patient outcomes. Current biomarkers like AFP have limited sensitivity, necessitating novel diagnostic markers. A novel semi-nested RT-PCR assay was developed to quantify circulating Ceruloplasmin (CP) mRNA in peripheral blood. This method co-amplifies CP mRNA and an internal control (IC) gene, followed by DNA melting analysis to distinguish and quantify CP mRNA. CP mRNA levels were significantly higher in the HCC group (median: 3.37) compared to both the CLD group (0.24, p = 0.0066) and the HD group (0.17, p < 0.0001). Further analysis using ROC curves highlighted the diagnostic performance of the assay. For differentiating HCC from CLD, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.704, with 50.98% sensitivity and 95.24% specificity. In comparison to HD, the AUC was 0.812, with 74.51% sensitivity and 80.65% specificity. Against the combined control group (CLD and HD), the AUC was 0.768, with 50.98% sensitivity and 96.15% specificity. Additionally, in 59.1% of HCC cases with AFP levels below 20 ng/mL, CP mRNA levels were elevated, indicating that CP mRNA could help detect a substantial proportion of AFP-negative HCC cases. This study, the first comprehensive clinical investigation of cell-free CP mRNA for HCC diagnosis, demonstrates its potential as a sensitive and specific non-invasive biomarker. Further validation in larger cohorts is needed to confirm its clinical utility.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorCarcinoma, HepatocellularCeruloplasminEarly Detection of CancerLiver NeoplasmsRNA, MessengerAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedROC CurveSensitivity and SpecificityBiomarkers, TumorCeruloplasminRNA, MessengerBiomarkerCirculating CP mRNADNA melting analysisHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)Liquid biopsySemi-nested RT-PCR

Identifiers

PMID40287496
PMCPMC12033234

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.