Elevated alpha-fetoprotein: differential diagnosis - hepatocellular carcinoma and other disorders.

Abstract

The incidence of cirrhosis-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising. Curative surgical options are available; outcomes are acceptable with early diagnosis. Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP-L3) and des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) are HCC risk markers. A high or increasing serum biomarker level can be predictive of the eventual development of HCC, large tumor size, advanced stage, extrahepatic metastases, portal vein thrombosis, and postoperative HCC recurrence. Based on FDA guidelines for HCC risk assessment, clinicians can consider using either the combination of AFP-L3 with DCP, or the combination of AFP-L3 with AFP and DCP.

• Authors: Robert J Wong, Aijaz Ahmed, Robert G Gish
• Journal: Clinics in liver disease (Clin Liver Dis) Vol. 19 Issue 2 Pg. 309-23 (May 2015) ISSN: 1557-8224 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25921665 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• Biomarkers, Tumor
• GPC3 protein, human
• Glypicans
• Plant Lectins
• Protein Precursors
• alpha-Fetoproteins
• lentil lectin
• acarboxyprothrombin
• Prothrombin

Topics

• Biomarkers (blood)
• Biomarkers, Tumor (analysis, blood)
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (blood, diagnosis)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Glypicans (blood)
• Humans
• Liver Cirrhosis (blood, diagnosis)
• Liver Neoplasms (blood, diagnosis)
• Plant Lectins (chemistry)
• Population Surveillance (methods)
• Protein Precursors (blood)
• Prothrombin
• Risk Assessment
• alpha-Fetoproteins (analysis, chemistry, metabolism)