Serum Gc system in liver cirrhosis and hepatoma

Summary Serum Gc polymorphism was studied in 85 patients with liver cirrhosis, in 65 with cirrhosis plus hepatoma, and in 40 with hepatoma without cirrhosis. Six hundred unrelated healthy Greeks served as controls. The Gc 1-1 phenotype was found more frequently in patients who had cirrhosis with or without hepatoma but the incidence of the Gc¹ gene was significantly higher in patients with cryptogenic-HBsAg negative cirrhosis. On the other hand, the Gc 2-2 phenotype was found about three times more frequently in patients who had hepatoma without cirrhosis, and the incidence of the Gc² gene was significantly higher in the same group than in the controls. Consequently, it could be surmised that the Gc¹ and the Gc² genes predispose, under the influence of various factors, the development of cryptogenic cirrhosis and hepatoma without cirrhosis, respectively.