Is increased AFP in liver cirrhosis patient dangerous?
Patient: My father is a Liver cirrhosis patient.It is started 4 years back & it was minor.He used to go to doctor & do all the test.this time doctor said AFP is more(208)& increasing AFP is not good.Please suggest is it a dangerous situation.what&where the best treatment available. Doctor: Hi,How are you? I am sorry to hear about your father's diagnosis of cirrhosis.AFP (alpha feto protein) is a substance normally produced by the fetal liver when it is in the uterus. Once the baby is born, the liver stops producing this substance so that in an adult the levels of AFP in the blood will be very low. Unfortunately, if there is a liver tumour growing, then this tumor starts to produce AFP and hence its level in the blood increases. So if there is a sudden increase in the blood levels of AFP, especially in a cirrhotic patient, it could potentially point to the development of a tumor in the liver. This needs to be evaluated with imaging studies, an ultrasound to start with, and then with a Tri-phasic contrast enhanced CT scan of the liver. The treatment options will depend on size and number of tumors and also the general condition of the patient. The best treatment for patients with cirrhosis and liver tumor is Liver transplant provided they meet some criteria. If the tumor is small, then percutanous ablative techniques or even resection of a small segment of liver in which the tumor is located can also be done.Please do let me know where you are located so I can guide you to the best center for treatment.Hope this helps and hope your dad feels better. Please do not hesitate to contact me for further details - rxsuresh@gmail.com