Alpha Feto Protein (AFP - Titre)

Alpha‑fetoprotein (AFP) is normally below about 10–20 ng/mL. Markedly elevated AFP — classically >400 ng/mL in a high‑risk patient — strongly suggests hepatocellular carcinoma, while very high levels (often >1,000 ng/mL) are typical of non‑seminomatous germ cell tumors. No single AFP value is diagnostic; results must be interpreted with imaging, clinical context, and serial measurements.

If your AFP (alpha‑fetoprotein) is high, causes include pregnancy (misdated or multiple), fetal neural‑tube or abdominal wall defects, placental problems, or—if not pregnant—liver disease or germ‑cell/hepatic tumors. Next steps: confirm dates, repeat the test, get a detailed ultrasound and specialist referral; amniocentesis or MRI may follow in pregnancy. Nonpregnant cases need imaging and liver tests to investigate tumors.

The alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) blood test measures AFP levels. In pregnancy it’s part of prenatal screening—high AFP can suggest neural tube or abdominal wall defects, while low AFP may indicate chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome. In non-pregnant people it’s used as a tumor marker to help detect and monitor hepatocellular carcinoma and certain germ cell (testicular) cancers, and to track treatment response or recurrence.

A positive AFP result means alpha‑fetoprotein level is higher than expected. In pregnancy, elevated maternal AFP can suggest neural tube or abdominal wall defects, multiple pregnancy, or dating error and requires follow‑up imaging and specialist referral. In nonpregnant adults, raised AFP may indicate liver disease or certain tumors (hepatocellular carcinoma, germ cell tumors) and prompts further testing and imaging.

Early detection focuses on screening high‑risk people (cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B/C) with ultrasound every six months, often alongside an alpha‑fetoprotein (AFP) blood test. Watch for unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain or swelling, jaundice, dark urine, loss of appetite or persistent itchiness — and see a doctor promptly. Regular follow‑ups and treating viral hepatitis lower your risk.

AFP (alpha‑fetoprotein) is a useful tumor marker but not highly accurate alone for hepatocellular carcinoma. Sensitivity is variable—often 40–65%—so many cancers are missed; specificity also varies by cutoff (roughly 75–95%), so non‑cancer conditions can cause false positives. AFP is most effective when combined with regular liver ultrasound for surveillance and diagnosis, not as a sole test.