title: The value of tumour marker kinetics in the management of patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has been measured during chemotherapy of ten patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Whenever the AFP concentration of a sample was lower than that of the previous sample the apparent half-life (AHL) of the protein was calculated. The biological half-life of AFP is 5 days so that values in excess of this were indicative of continuing or increased synthesis and secretion of AFP. The AHL for AFP provided a means of assessing efficacy of treatment. Increases in AHL generally predicted a rise in serum AFP and give advance warning of the need to change therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Buamah
authors.forename: O F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Skillen
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen