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Decrease in the zinc turbidity test values in patients with liver cirrhosis: a possible indicator for impending hepatocellular carcinoma.

A retrospective investigation of 21 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma with liver cirrhosis presumably of viral origin revealed a significant fall in the value of the zinc turbidity test from 15.5 +/- 6.9 (mean +/- SD) at 1 year to 11.2 +/- 2.5 units at 6 months before the discovery of the carcinoma (p less than 0.05), and a return to 16.8 +/- 7.2 units one month after the diagnosis (p less than 0.05). The values at 6, 2 and 1 month before the diagnosis were significantly lower than that for 120 control cirrhotics without hepatocellular carcinoma at 16.3 +/- 7.2 units (p less than 0.05). The fall in value occurred before or concurrently with a rise in the alpha-fetoprotein level in three patients, in whom it has been determined serially. Based on the results obtained, the decrease in the zinc turbidity test value may be used as an indicator for impending hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with liver cirrhosis.