title: [Radioimmunologic determination of alpha fetoprotein in diagnosis of primary tumors of the liver].
abstract: The plasma level of alpha1-fetoprotein in 35 hepatic patients with a "cold" area showed by liver scanning has been detected by means of the radioimmunoassay technique. High levels (more than 320 ng/ml) of AFP were found in 4 cases of primary carcinoma of the liver; low concentration of AFP was found in 1 case of hepatoma. In 4 cases of liver metastasis the plasma levels of AFP were very low; the highest concentration (10 ng/ml) was found in a patient with a cancer of the colon. Low levels of AFP were found in all the cases (26) of hepatic cirrhosis, whereas high level of AFP was detected in 1 case of chronic hepatitis. The detection of alpha1-fetoprotein by the radioimmunoassay technique may be of value in the differential diagnosis between hepatoma and cirrhosis.
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation; D005326:Fetal Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005326:Fetal Proteins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins
vernacular_title: Il dosaggio radioimmunologico dell'alfa-fetoproteina per la diagnosi dei tumori primitivi del fegato