Admin Table of Contents
What is the alpha fetoprotein test?
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a protein produced in the liver of a developing fetus. During a baby’s development, some AFP passes through the placenta and into the mother’s blood. An AFP test measures the level of AFP in pregnant women during the second trimester of pregnancy.
What is a normal alpha fetoprotein level?
An AFP level between 10 ng/mL to 20 ng/mL is normal for adults. An extremely high level of AFP in your blood—greater than 400 ng/mL—could be a sign of liver tumors. High levels of AFP may mean other cancers, including Hodgkin disease, lymphoma, and renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer).
What causes high levels of alpha fetoprotein?
Tumor markers are substances made by cancer cells or by normal cells in response to cancer in the body. High levels of AFP can be a sign of liver cancer or cancer of the ovaries or testicles, as well as noncancerous liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatitis.
What is elevated alpha fetoprotein?
Increased AFP levels may indicate the presence of cancer, most commonly liver cancer, cancer of the ovary, or germ cell tumor of the testicles. However, not every liver, ovarian, or testicular cancer will produce significant quantities of AFP.
Can fatty liver cause elevated AFP?
The presence of hepatic inflammation and/or fibrosis may be the underlying cause of increased serum AFP levels in patients with severe fatty liver. Necrosis or active regeneration may also play a role in these patients.
What is normal tumor marker range?
Normal range: < 2.5 ng/ml. Normal range may vary somewhat depending on the brand of assay used. Levels > 10 ng/ml suggest extensive disease and levels > 20 ng/ml suggest metastatic disease.
How do you lower AFP levels?
Iron reduction therapy significantly reduced the median level of serum AFP from 13 to 7 ng/mL, ALT from 96 to 50 IU/L, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) from 55 to 28 IU/L, and ferritin from 191 to 10 ng/mL ( for each).
How do I lower my AFP?
How accurate is the Trisomy 21 blood test?
According to the latest research, this blood test can detect up to 98.6% of fetuses with trisomy 21.
When should AFP test be done?
The level of AFP in the blood is used in a maternal serum triple or quadruple screening test. Generally done between 15 and 20 weeks, these tests check the levels of three or four substances in a pregnant woman’s blood.
What does AFP stand for in blood test?
An AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) tumor marker test measures the level of AFP in your blood. High levels of AFP can be a sign of liver cancer, cancer of the ovaries or testicles, and noncancerous liver disorders.
Can a healthy adult have low AFP levels?
Healthy adults should have very low levels of AFP. An AFP tumor marker test is a blood test that measures the levels of AFP in adults. Tumor markers are substances made by cancer cells or by normal cells in response to cancer in the body.
When do you need an AFP cancer test?
Your provider may order an AFP test to help confirm or rule out the results of other tests. You may also need this test if you are currently being treated for one of these cancers, or recently completed treatment. The test can help your provider see if your treatment is working or if your cancer has come back after treatment.
How are Anas tested in a clinical setting?
Antinuclear Antibodies ANAs are the signature autoantibodies of the rheumatic disease and are tested in many clinical scenarios. 1-3 These antibodies are usually detected by immunofluorescent (IF) techniques, utilizing Hep-2 cell lines, and specific antinuclear antibodies are detected by solid-phase immunoassays—for instance, an ELISA.