title: Serum alpha fetal protein in a three year old child with hepatoma.
abstract: A 3 year old child with primary hepatocellular carcinoma and high AFP concentrations is described. Following hemihepatectomy, a sharp decrease and return to normal of serum AFP concentrations indicated the completeness of the surgical procedure. Repeat-normal serum AFP concentrations (less than 19 ng/ml), found during a three year follow-up, correlated well with the absence of clinical, laboratory and x-ray evidence of tumor recurrence. The differential diagnosis of abnormal AFP concentrations in childhood is discussed, and the importance of the AFP assay in the follow-up of post-hemihepatectomy patients for the assessment of the completeness of the surgical procedure, the prognosis, and the early detection of tumor recurrence is stressed.
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins