Alpha-fetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen and various biochemical tests in patients with tumorous and inflammatory liver diseases.
Over the period of the past 9 years (1980-1988), 320 patients (mean age 60.9 +/- 13.2 years) suffering from various liver diseases have been examined. There were three main groups of patients: (1)--24 patients with primary liver cancer (PLC), 19 of them with hepato- and 5 with cholangiocellular carcinoma, (2)--153 patients with metastatic liver tumors (MLT), and (3)--143 patients with inflammatory liver diseases (ILD). The results of examination of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GMT) in these patients have been analyzed with the aim to evaluate their contribution to the differential diagnostics of tumorous and inflammatory liver processes. For the diagnostics of malignant hepatoma AFP appeared to the most specific test. The significance of other tests for diagnostics of malignant hepatic diseases is obviously limited. These tests are recommended to be considered (in the case of their increase) in close connection with the clinical image and additional examinations. The importance of correlation between cirrhosis and malignant hepatoma is also to be noticed. In spite of all this, we believe that in the case of positivity of the above tests the patients have to be carefully examined and followed up, and that the clinical course and the dynamic of the mentioned tests has to be thoroughly observed. Because of the specificity of values of the AFP-test with malignant hepatoma, we find it useful to perform this test in all patients with chronic liver diseases.
Weber
P
P
Department of Internal Diseases, University Hospital, Brno-Bohunice, Czechoslovakia.
Weberová
D
D
Martínek
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins