Table 2.

The mean concentrations of AFU, AFP and TK1 in cases and controls [Median (P₂₅–P₇₅)].

Group	n	AFU (U/L)	AFP (μg/L)	TK1 (pmol/L)
HCC	116	51.0 (37.5–79.2)	306.0 (9.7–3020.0)	2.34 (1.4–4.1)
Benign liver disorder	109	46.1 (35.9–67.2)	5.1 (2.6–8.1)	1.3 (0.8–2.0)
Control	104	28.0 (25.0–34.0)	6.0 (4.0–8.0)	1.3 (1.0–1.6)

Kruskal–Wallis test was carried out among the three groups with three tumor markers: χ² = 70.311–104.425, all P < 0.001. Mann–Whitney U test was carried out between the following two groups: (1), HCC group versus benign liver disease group: AFU (Z = −1.820, P = 0.069), AFP (Z = −8.570, P < 0.001), TK1 (Z = −5.943, P < 0.001); (2), benign liver disease group versus control group: AFU (Z = −7.984, P < 0.001), AFP (Z = −0.527, P = 0.598), TK1 (Z = −1.575, P = 0.115).