Biomaterial Database

Serum alpha-foetoprotein in hepatocellular carcinoma--value in diagnosis, and prognosis. 1980

R Williams, and W M Melia, and P J Johnson

The value of serum alpha-foetoprotein (AFP) estimation using radioimmunoassay in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been investigated. Serum AFP concentration was raised in 97% of patients with cirrhosis complicated by tumour, while only one of 100 patients with uncomplicated cirrhosis had increased concentrations. Serial serum AFP estimation was therefore a valuable screening test in this high-risk group. Raised serum AFP was found to be an additional adverse prognostic factor in HCC patients: 81% of a group of HCC patients with normal serum AFP survived one year while only 12% of patients with raised AFP levels did so. However, this mainly reflects underlying cirrhosis in those HCC patients with raised AFP. Serum AFP doubling time was determined in 28 HCC patients with raised serum AFP and showed a significant correlation with survival, those slowest doubling times surviving longest. Serial AFP determinations were useful in predicting the outcome of chemotherapy: an exponential rise in AFP occurred in those who failed to respond to treatment, but serum AFP fell in those who achieved clinical remission, with a sustained fall in those with complete remission.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008103	Liver Cirrhosis	Liver disease in which the normal microcirculation, the gross vascular anatomy, and the hepatic architecture have been variably destroyed and altered with fibrous septa surrounding regenerated or regenerating parenchymal nodules.	Cirrhosis, Liver,Fibrosis, Liver,Hepatic Cirrhosis,Liver Fibrosis,Cirrhosis, Hepatic
D008113	Liver Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the LIVER.	Cancer of Liver,Hepatic Cancer,Liver Cancer,Cancer of the Liver,Cancer, Hepatocellular,Hepatic Neoplasms,Hepatocellular Cancer,Neoplasms, Hepatic,Neoplasms, Liver,Cancer, Hepatic,Cancer, Liver,Cancers, Hepatic,Cancers, Hepatocellular,Cancers, Liver,Hepatic Cancers,Hepatic Neoplasm,Hepatocellular Cancers,Liver Cancers,Liver Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Hepatic,Neoplasm, Liver
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009364	Neoplasm Recurrence, Local	The local recurrence of a neoplasm following treatment. It arises from microscopic cells of the original neoplasm that have escaped therapeutic intervention and later become clinically visible at the original site.	Local Neoplasm Recurrence,Local Neoplasm Recurrences,Locoregional Neoplasm Recurrence,Neoplasm Recurrence, Locoregional,Neoplasm Recurrences, Local,Recurrence, Local Neoplasm,Recurrence, Locoregional Neoplasm,Recurrences, Local Neoplasm,Locoregional Neoplasm Recurrences,Neoplasm Recurrences, Locoregional,Recurrences, Locoregional Neoplasm
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D011863	Radioimmunoassay	Classic quantitative assay for detection of antigen-antibody reactions using a radioactively labeled substance (radioligand) either directly or indirectly to measure the binding of the unlabeled substance to a specific antibody or other receptor system. Non-immunogenic substances (e.g., haptens) can be measured if coupled to larger carrier proteins (e.g., bovine gamma-globulin or human serum albumin) capable of inducing antibody formation.	Radioimmunoassays
D005260	Female		Females
D006528	Carcinoma, Hepatocellular	A primary malignant neoplasm of epithelial liver cells. It ranges from a well-differentiated tumor with EPITHELIAL CELLS indistinguishable from normal HEPATOCYTES to a poorly differentiated neoplasm. The cells may be uniform or markedly pleomorphic, or form GIANT CELLS. Several classification schemes have been suggested.	Hepatocellular Carcinoma,Hepatoma,Liver Cancer, Adult,Liver Cell Carcinoma,Liver Cell Carcinoma, Adult,Adult Liver Cancer,Adult Liver Cancers,Cancer, Adult Liver,Cancers, Adult Liver,Carcinoma, Liver Cell,Carcinomas, Hepatocellular,Carcinomas, Liver Cell,Cell Carcinoma, Liver,Cell Carcinomas, Liver,Hepatocellular Carcinomas,Hepatomas,Liver Cancers, Adult,Liver Cell Carcinomas
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man