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Serum ferritin in hepatocellular carcinoma. A comparison with alphafetoprotein
Author(s) -
Melia W. M.,
Bullock Sarah,
Johnson P. J.,
Williams Roger
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19830601)51:11<2112::aid-cncr2820511126>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatocellular carcinoma , ferritin , cirrhosis , gastroenterology , chemotherapy , carcinoma , differential diagnosis , serum ferritin , pathology
Abstract The serum ferritin level was raised in 34 of 35 (97%) patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and in 20 of 23 (87%) with uncomplicated cirrhosis. Levels rose following therapeutic embolisation in 14 of 15 patients and continued to rise in 85% of all tumor patients who showed no clinical response to chemotherapy (intravenous Adriamycin) whereas in those who did respond the serum ferritin level fell. By contrast, there was a fall in serum alphafetoprotein immediately after embolisation but like serum ferritin, alphafetoprotein levels rose with disease progression and only fell in those achieving clinical remission. Serum ferritin has no role in the differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma but may be a useful marker in monitoring response to chemotherapy particularly in the alphafetoprotein‐negative patient.