What does high alpha-fetoprotein tumor marker mean?
High levels of AFP can be a sign of liver cancer or cancer of the ovaries or testicles, as well as noncancerous liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatitis. High AFP levels don’t always mean cancer, and normal levels don’t always rule out cancer.
What is a alpha-fetoprotein tumor marker test?
This is a blood test to look for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in your blood. AFP is normally made by a fetus’s liver and yolk sac. It’s the main protein during the first 3 months of development. AFP greatly decreases by age 1 and should only be found in adults in very low levels. AFP is 1 of several tumor markers.
What is a normal AFP tumor marker?
Doctors measure AFP in your blood in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). The normal level for most healthy adults is between 0 and 8 ng/mL. The reference range will vary with pregnant women.
How do you lower AFP levels?
Iron reduction therapy significantly reduced the median level of serum AFP from 13 to 7 ng/mL, ALT from 96 to 50 IU/L, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) from 55 to 28 IU/L, and ferritin from 191 to 10 ng/mL ( for each).
Can Covid affect tumor markers?
We found that COVID-19 had no effect on tumor markers (CA125, CA19-9, CA15-3, AFP, and CEA).
When should AFP test be done?
The American Pregnancy Association says that all pregnant women should be offered an AFP test sometime between the 15th and 20th week of pregnancy. The test may be especially recommended if you: Have a family history of birth defects. Are 35 years or older.
What causes high levels of alpha fetoprotein?
Hepatocellular carcinoma
What is the purpose of alpha fetoprotein?
The purpose of this screening test is to find out which women have a higher risk of having a baby with a birth defect. It is also used to find the women who need additional testing during pregnancy. Without the AFP test, some women would not be given additional testing.
What does high alpha fetoprotein mean?
What does it mean if your Alpha Fetoprotein (AFP) result is too high? If your results show high levels of AFP, it may confirm a diagnosis of liver cancer, or cancer of the ovaries or testicles. Sometimes, high levels of AFP can be a sign of other cancers, including Hodgkin disease and lymphoma, or noncancerous liver disorders.
What causes elevated AFP levels?
Help confirm or rule out a diagnosis of liver cancer or cancer of the ovaries or testicles.