Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the European Association for the Study of the Liver exclude any role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) while the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver suggests its use for larger HCC. This study evaluated the accuracy of CEUS in comparison with computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of HCC and of residual of HCC after treatment.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 124 patients with 148 HCC nodules: 34 small (≤20 mm) and 114 large nodules (>20 mm).

Psychopathological profile and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cirrhosis.

In some tumors, psychosocial interventions may enhance health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients. The effects of psychological variables on HRQOL in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients have been rarely assessed. The aim of this work is to evaluate the psychopathological profile of HCC and cirrhotic patients and its effect on HRQOL.

Protective effect of augmenter of liver regeneration on hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells.

Background: Hydrogen peroxide, as other reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during redox processes, induces lipid membrane peroxidation and protein degeneration causing cell apoptosis. ROS are recently considered as messengers in cell signalling processes, which, through reversible protein disulphide bridges formation, activate regulatory factors of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Disulphide bridges formation is catalysed by sulphydryl oxidase enzymes.