Alpha-fetoprotein-producing rectal cancer: calculated tumor marker doubling time.
alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) production by rectal cancer is very rare. In the English literature there are only a few reported cases in which serum AFP level was > 1,000 ng/ml. A 43-year-old Japanese man with rectal cancer and liver metastases had a high serum AFP level (941 ng/ml) when first evaluated. Three weeks later, the serum AFP level was extremely elevated (7,060 ng/ml). He underwent abdominoperineal excision of the rectum and biopsy of liver metastases. The placement of an intrahepatic-arterial infusion catheter into the proper hepatic artery via the right gastroepiploic artery was also performed. Immunohistochemically, AFP-positive cells were identified in both the rectal and liver tumors. Nine days postoperatively, the serum AFP level was 2,000 ng/ml. In spite of intensive chemoimmunotherapy, serum AFP level was increased and 14 weeks after surgery was extremely elevated (267,300 ng/ml). The patient succumbed to cancer 3 months after surgery. To our knowledge, this is the first case of an AFP-producing rectal cancer in which AFP doubling time could be calculated as 12.8 days.
Sato
Y
Y
Abdominal Surgery Clinic, Saitama Cancer Center Hospital, Japan.
Sekine
T
T
Ohwada
S
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins