Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fourth most common malignant tumor in China, with an insidious onset. Most patients are in the middle to late stages when diagnosed, delaying the best time for treatment, so early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma is especially important.
What is methemoglobin?
Alpha fetoprotein (alpha fetoprotein, AFP) is an important tumor marker for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and is commonly used in China for screening, early diagnosis, postoperative surveillance, and follow-up of hepatocellular carcinoma.
If AFP is not less than 400 μg/L, it is highly suggestive of hepatocellular carcinoma when pregnancy, chronic or active liver disease, and germline embryonic-derived tumors are excluded.
What is an AFP-negative liver cancer?
About 40% of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma have normal serum AFP levels, especially in the early stages of hepatocellular carcinoma, which is called “alpha-negative hepatocellular carcinoma. It is also associated with cirrhosis, tumor pathology, tumor size, and other factors.
The early diagnosis of methemoglobin-negative liver cancer relies on other tumor markers that are more sensitive and specific for hepatocellular carcinoma, combined with CT and MRI imaging and liver aspiration biopsy, to improve the early diagnosis of methemoglobin-negative liver cancer.