20.500.12556/DiRROS-28821 Disrupted vitamin D metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma free and bioavailable 25(OH)D as novel biomarkers of hepatic reserve and clinical risk Background: Although total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) measurements may not accurately reflect functional vitamin D status, vitamin D deficiency is common in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The contribution of altered vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) and albumin to impaired bioavailability is poorly characterized in liver cancer. Methods: We measured total, free, and bioavailable 25(OH)D, VDBP, and albumin in 46 HCC patients and 87 healthy controls during winter and summer. Correlations with Child–Pugh score, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, and disease aetiology were evaluated. Results: HCC patients exhibited significantly lower VDBP (177.3 ± 237.0 vs. 239.9 ± 141.9 mg/L, p < 0.001) and albumin (35.9 ± 5.4 vs. 48.0 ± 3.9 g/L, p < 0.001) compared to winter controls. Total 25(OH)D was lower in HCC (39.3 ± 22.1 nmol/L) versus summer controls (75.0 ± 22.8 nmol/L, p < 0.001) but comparable to winter controls (p = 0.061). HCC patients lacked seasonal variation in vitamin D fractions, unlike the controls. VDBP negatively correlated with free (ρ = −0.606, p < 0.001) and bioavailable 25(OH)D (ρ = −0.541, p < 0.001). Child–Pugh score correlated positively with BCLC stage (ρ = 0.378, p = 0.012) and inversely with albumin (ρ = −0.565, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Free and bioavailable vitamin D are profoundly compromised in HCC, reflecting impaired hepatic synthetic function and systemic inflammation. These fractions may serve as novel metabolic biomarkers superior to total 25(OH)D for assessing vitamin D deficiency and guiding individualized supplementation strategies in patients with liver cancer. hepatocellular carcinoma vitamin D metabolism 25-hydroxyvitamin D free vitamin D bioavailable vitamin D vitamin D-binding protein albumin Child-Pugh score BCLC staging biomarkers presnova vitamina D 25-hidroksivitamin D prosti vitamin D biološko uporaben vitamin D protein ki veže vitamin D albumin Child-Pughova lestvica stadij BCLC biomarkerji true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Neznano 2026-04-08 12:57:40 2026-04-08 12:57:41 2026-04-09 03:51:22 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Opis vira z dne 14. 1. 2026; str. 1-15 iss. 2, [article no.] 273 Vol. 31 Jan. 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 616.36-006+612.015.612 1420-3049 10.3390/molecules31020273 264604163 RAZ_Osredkar_Josko_2026.pdf RAZ_Osredkar_Josko_2026.pdf 1 A24448CEC6CA3A4935A156433EBCD6EE 6eebce408843dea56b0817c68f984eb6b271fc971a9e102df2f06b1ac223ab74 e52dbba1-3339-11f1-b941-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=42941 https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/2/273 1 c4b4de96-3339-11f1-b941-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=42939 Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana 0 0 0