AIM: This study was designed to evaluate the clinical application of serum total sialic acid (TSA) in the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA).

METHODS: Serum TSA was determined by periodate-resorcinol microassay in 69 patients with CCA, 59 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 37 patients with cirrhosis, 61 patients with chronic hepatitis and 50 healthy blood donors.

RESULTS: The mean serum TSA concentration in CCA (2.41 ± 0.70 mmol/L) was significantly higher than those of HCC, cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis and healthy blood donors (1.41 ± 0.37 mmol/L, 1.13 ± 0.31 mmol/L, 1.16 ± 0.26 mmol/L, and 1.10 ± 0.14 mmol/L, respectively; P < 0.001). Based on ROC curve analysis, a cut-off point of 1.75 mmol/L discriminated between CCA and HCC with a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 82.6%, 83.1%, and 82.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Based on our results, serum TSA would be a useful marker for the differential diagnosis of CCA from HCC.