AFP ( Alpha fetoprotein )

Rate: Rs. 700

Sample

This test is done on the serum of the patient.Serum may be stored at 2—8 C for 24 hours otherwise freez it.

Important facts

• AFP is glycoprotien and it is produced by the fetal liver, gastrointestinal tract and yolk sac.
• The peak production in the fetus is by 13 weeks of gestation and then it declines.
• The AFP may be found in the serum of mother and amniotic fluids.
• Modest raised level may be seen in the regenerative process of liver.
• AFP may serve to monitor the course of liver cell carcinoma treatment.
• The level of AFP is claimed to correlate with the size of the tumor in embryonal malignant teratoblastomas of testes ,and ovary and its measurement is useful for the monitoring course of the disease.

Normal

1. AFP Normal level is less than 10 ng/ml.
2. Adult < 8.5 ng /ml in 97% of healthy population.
3. Adult <15 ng /ml in 100% 0f healthy population.
4. Fetus first trimester peak is 200—400 mg/dl
5. Cord blood is 5 mg/dl
6. Amniotic fluids (13—16 week )0.9-4.1 mg/ dl

Significance

1. It is marker of Liver cell carcinoma ,where greater than 500 ng/dl is found, in more than 70 to 80 % of the patient.
2. It is slightly raised in Cirrhosis.
3. Lower levels may be found in patients with large metastasis from Gastric or Colonic tumors and in patients with acute or chronic hepatitis.
4. The presence and persistence of high level above 500 ng/dl in an adult with liver disease and without any obvious GIT tumors is strongly suggestive of hepatocellular carcinoma.
5. AFP may be found in the germ cell tumor.This is raised in pregnancy and neonates.
6. It is raised in Choriocarcinoma, and Embryonal carcinoma.
7. Less commonly raised in Pancreatic carcinoma, Stomach carcinoma, Colon cancer and lung cancer.
8. AFP levels are greater in the twin pregnancy.
9. AFP levels are raised in the neural tube defect in the mother serum.This is can be confirmed by the Ultrasonography and if the defect is serious then pregnancy may be terminated.

Raised AFP seen in

1. 100 % of the metastatic liver cell carcinoma.
2. Screening of liver cell carcinoma.
3. In 50 % of nonseminomatous testicular cancer.
4. In 5 to 10 % of patient with cirrhosis and hepatitis.
5. In alcoholic liver disease.
6. choriocarcinoma and embryonal carcinoma.
7. AFP levels are greater in twin pregnancy.
8. AFP is raised in neural tube defect.if the neural tube ,which develps into the brain and spinal cord, failes to close compleltly,in that case large quantities of AFP enters the amniotic fluid ,resulting elevated level of AFP in the mother serum.