Increased Porphyrins in Primary Liver Cancer Mainly Reflect a Parallel Liver Disease

Table 3

Frequency of elevated urinary and/or faecal porphyrins in 43 patients with hepatocellular cancer (HCC), where presence of cirrhosis could be established. In each column is given the proportion (%) of evaluable patients with concentrations above the laboratory reference limit (Upper limit of normal, ULN). ALA : aminolevulinic acid; PBG : porphobilinogen; NS : non significant.

	HCC with cirrhosis	HCC without cirrhosis	Difference between groups
	𝑛=31	𝑛=12
Age (years, range)	68 (49–83)	65 (51–72)
Sex (M/F)	27/4	6/6
U-ALA (% above ULN)	7^1	8^4	NS
U-PBG (% above ULN)	0^2	0^4	NS
U-Porhyrins (% above ULN)	28^1	0^4	𝑃<.05
F-Coproporhyrins (% above ULN)	36^3	9^5	NS
F-Protoporphyrins (% above ULN)	55^3	9^5	𝑃<.05

¹𝑛=29, ²𝑛=28, ³𝑛=22, ⁴𝑛=12, ⁵𝑛=11.