Serum Alpha Fetoprotein as a Predictor of Tumor Size in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Objective: To figure out the connection between serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) amount and tumour load in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at Interventional Radiology Department of Rehman Medical Department from May 2016 to Nov 2022. Patients with chronic liver diseases and concurrent HCC comprise the study population, while people with liver metastases from other main malignancies were excluded. The variables used in.
Demographic characteristics, clinical information, laboratory investigations and imaging modality were considered. Patients were then classified according to AFP and tumor diameter. Frequencies and percentages were generated from descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics correlated with Spearman's rank-order correlation test were used. Compare the degree of association among the variables.

Results: There was a direct positive association of AFP levels in patients with tumor size (Pearson Chi-Square = 99.407, p < 0.001). The clinical data revealed that patients with higher AFP levels had significantly larger tumors, more frequent vascular invasion, and extrahepatic metastases. Patients with only AFP >2000 IU/ml had predominantly larger tumor size of >5 cm in diameter.

Conclusion: Higher serum AFP levels are positively associated with bigger tumour size and higher tumour progression in patients with HCC. AFP is a useful biomarker for estimating tumor load and therapeutic and diagnostic approaches, yet it has to be combined with other diagnostic methods.