Serum Levels of α-Fetoprotein Increased More Than 10 Years Before Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Ultrasound (US)-based screening has been recommended for patients with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). US analysis, however, is limited in patients who are obese or have small tumors. The addition of serum level of α-fetoprotein (AFP) measurements to US analysis can increase detection of HCC. We analyzed data from patients with chronic liver disease, collected over 15 years in an HCC surveillance program, to develop a model to assess risk of HCC.

Methods

We collected data from 3450 patients with chronic liver disease undergoing US surveillance in Japan from March 1998 through April 2014, and followed them up for a median of 8.83 years. We performed longitudinal discriminant analysis of serial AFP measurements (median number of observati

SUBMITTER: Hughes DM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7611145 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature