What if AFP is significantly elevated but no liver cancer is detected on imaging?

     AFP is the most specific marker for liver cancer. When AFP exceeds 400 μg/L, liver cancer should be suspected by Liudu if the presence of other diseases can be excluded. These diseases include acute hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, germ cell tumor, etc. Li Yuerong, Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhangqiu People’s Hospital First of all, if test errors are excluded, liver cancer should be highly suspected. Because patients with slow hepatitis B are in the process of damage, repair and regeneration due to the replication and proliferation of hepatitis B virus in hepatocytes, AFP will be elevated, but generally not more than 400 micrograms/liter and is often significantly correlated with transaminase levels. Although individual patients can have AFP levels as high as 800 micrograms/liter, as hepatitis improves and transaminases decrease, AFP decreases and gradually returns to normal, or remains at a low level of less than 100 micrograms/liter for a long time.  Secondly, AFP level should be tested regularly, and if it is consistently elevated for more than 4 weeks, even if the CT test is negative (i.e. no liver cancer is found), liver cancer should be highly suspected. This is because AFP in blood will be significantly elevated as long as there is a 0.1-0.2 cm liver cancer lesion present. Further examination, such as CT scan with iodine oil after hepatic arteriography, is recommended to improve the detection rate of micro lesions. Due to the rapid development of liver cancer, the treatment effect of early stage liver cancer and late stage liver cancer is completely different. Therefore, don’t let down your guard just because the liver function is normal and the ultrasound and CT examination are fine, which delays the best time for diagnosis and treatment