Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is one of the more commonly used serum markers and is primarily elevated in primary liver cancer. Other malignant tumors including ovarian cancer, testicular cancer, malignant teratoma, seminal cell carcinoma, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, and even some lung tumors may have abnormally elevated AFP, which can assist in the diagnosis of the disease.
Alpha-fetoprotein is mainly derived from the liver cells of embryos, and its content is less than 15mg/L in the serum of normal people. If its value is found to be persistently elevated in the corresponding serum examination, it can be used as a preliminary diagnosis of the corresponding disease, but a definitive diagnosis requires pathological diagnosis.
About 80% of liver cancer patients can have elevated serum AFP levels, while about 50% of germ cell tumors can also have elevated levels, and some gastrointestinal tumors and reproductive system tumors can also have elevated levels to varying degrees, such as ovarian cancer, testicular cancer, malignant teratoma, spermatogonial cell carcinoma, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer and so on. Therefore, elevated alpha-fetoprotein can be used as a method of early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of diseases.