title: [Two patients with liver cirrhosis who presented with alpha-fetoprotein values diagnostic of hepatocarcinoma but without evidence of neoplasms].
abstract: Two liver cirrhosis (LC) patients with all major risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) had, at presentation, serum alfa-fetoprotein levels (AFP) higher than 500 ng/ml, usually considered diagnostic for HCC. They had elevated serum ALT levels too. No neoplastic liver lesions were detected by imaging techniques in both cases. During the following three months we noted a progressive improvement of clinical conditions with contextual normalization of AFP and ALT values. Therefore we suggest, when AFP is strongly elevated in LC patients but no hepatic lesion is detectable, a check for AFP and ALT time-course, before diagnosis HCC.
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins
vernacular_title: Considerazioni su due pazienti con cirrosi epatica che alla presentazione avevano valori di alfa-fetoproteina diagnostici per epatocarcinoma, ma senza evidenza di neoplasia.