Method for obtaining useful data for hepatocellular carcinoma in alcoholic patients suffering from hepatitis C.

Chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus is the major cause of liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in alcoholic patients. The identification of biomarkers for early detection of HCC is essential to improve survival of patients.

The authors of the present invention have identified certain genes use for obtaining useful data in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in individuals suffering from hepatitis C.

This novel invention involves a method, a kit and the uses of the method and kit, for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in individuals with hepatitis C produced by alcohol intake. The method is based on the simultaneous determination of certain genes expression in biological samples obtained from those individuals.

These data have been clinically validated in a cohort of 52 patients.

This new method has the following advantages over the currently used methods:

- Allows early diagnosis of hepatocellular carninoma. And/or monitoring of treatment response.

- It allows to improve the patient´s survival rate on the long-term.