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Elevation of alpha‐fetoprotein level without evidence of recurrence after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma
Author(s) -
Ezaki Takahiro,
Yukaya Hirofumi,
Ogawa Yuichiro,
Chang YuChung,
Nagasue Naofumi
Publication year - 1988
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(19880501)61:9<1880::aid-cncr2820610926>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatocellular carcinoma , hepatectomy , cirrhosis , alpha fetoprotein , gastroenterology , alpha (finance) , chemotherapy , surgery , resection , construct validity , patient satisfaction
Seven Japanese patients showed a gradual rise in serum alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) levels for periods of 4 to 14 weeks after partial hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma. These levels then gradually decreased, but not always to a normal level, and various procedures after surgery failed to detect tumor recurrence. All the cases were complicated with liver cirrhosis. It is suggested that the postoperative elevation in the AFP level may have been caused by hepatic regeneration as a result of the intervention chemotherapy and/or surgery, but it does not exclude the possibility of a tumor recurrence.