Des-Gamma-Carboxy Prothrombin (DCP)
A blood marker used to assess liver cancer risk in people with chronic liver disease.
Consider this test if:
- Living with chronic hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or cirrhosis and undergoing routine HCC surveillance
- Following up an abnormal liver ultrasound or an elevated AFP result
- Tracking liver cancer risk over time when AFP alone has been normal or inconclusive
- Monitoring known HCC before or after treatment for changes in tumor burden
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Typical results in 5-7 days · Reviewed by a real clinician
- Drawn at a CLIA/CAP-accredited lab near you ·
Pre-test considerations
No fasting or special preparation is required. Tell the ordering clinician if you take warfarin or another vitamin K antagonist, or have a condition causing vitamin K deficiency or fat malabsorption, since these raise DCP independently of liver cancer. The sample must be serum, separated and frozen, and grossly hemolyzed or icteric samples are rejected.
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What this test is for
Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP), also called PIVKA-II, is a nonfunctional precursor of prothrombin that appears in the serum of many people with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver cancer. It is used to assess HCC risk in people with chronic liver disease, alongside imaging, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and the AFP-L3% test, which it complements by flagging different and often more advanced disease. Elevated DCP tracks with tumor size and portal vein invasion, and people with high DCP but normal AFP tend to have more advanced cancer, which is why combining the markers identifies more at-risk patients than any one alone. Because DCP forms when vitamin K activity is impaired, vitamin K deficiency and oral anticoagulants such as warfarin raise the result independently of cancer and must be accounted for. This is a risk-assessment and monitoring tool for people already known to have liver disease, not a general-population cancer screen.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Mass concentration
What you'll learn
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Insights that connect the dots. A clinician reads your whole picture, not one result in isolation, connecting family history, past results, and lifestyle into clear next steps.
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Your personalized action plan. Nutrition, supplements, and training in one clinician-reviewed protocol, updated as your results change.
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Track your trends. Upload results from any lab and see each biomarker trend over time, so you know what is working.
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Never miss a recheck. Mito tells you what is worth retesting and when, then reminds you so nothing slips.
What to expect
- 1 Book instantly
Click, book, done. Choose a convenient lab location near you. Transparent, up-front pricing.
- 2 Quick lab visit
Testing to fit your busy schedule, usually 15 minutes or less. Walk-in and appointments available.
- 3 Typical results in 5-7 days
Your results post straight to your dashboard as soon as the lab completes them.
- 4 Expert guidance
Included with Mito membership. A clinician reviews your results and your personalized action plan follows, with clear next steps.
Everything your health needs,
in one membership
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Every test at our cost
Members pay our cost on every test, with lab fees passed straight through. The full receipt is itemized, never padded.
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Continuous tracking, all in one place
Upload past labs and watch your trends over time. Every marker and visit lives in one longitudinal record, so all your care stays together.
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Year-round clinician support
Text anytime and get clinician-reviewed answers. When you want to go deeper, 1:1 consultations are available at affordable rates.
All for $9/month
Order any test or consult without joining. For $9/month, members unlock member prices, trend tracking, and year-round clinician guidance.
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Frequently asked questions
View all FAQsHow does pricing work?
Every test shows the member price next to the standard non-member price, so you can see what membership saves you. The member price is our cost, covering the lab and what it takes to run the service. It is never a profit on the test itself. Mito makes its money on the $9 membership, not on marking up your tests. Membership is $9 per month, and any applicable lab order or draw fee is itemized before you pay.
Where do I get tested?
Choose an available partner lab at checkout. If your cart contains multiple blood tests, Mito helps consolidate the eligible tests at one lab when possible. At-home kits and scans follow the collection or appointment process shown on their product page.
Is this eligible for HSA/FSA?
Yes. Eligible tests can be paid for with an HSA or FSA card at checkout.
When will I get my results?
Your results appear in your Mito dashboard after the laboratory completes processing. A clinician then reviews them before your analysis and personalized action plan are finalized. Timing varies by test, and specialty assays and at-home kits may take longer.
Do I need a physician's order?
No. Mito provides the laboratory order when one is required, so you do not need to arrange a separate physician visit before purchasing.
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