Immunodiagnosis of primary carcinoma of the liver in Thailand

Abstract

The gel diffusion test for alpha fetoprotein (AFP) was used for the diagnosis of hepatoma. It was found that 76.9% of 52 patients with histologically proven hepatoma were positive, while the controls were negative. The frequency of positive AFP test appeared to vary according to the ages of the patients. With the age of 50 and over, the incidence of positive AFP test was significantly lower than that of patients with the age of 30-49. When a more sensitive technique for AFP detection, immunoradioautography, was tested in 9 patients with hepatoma but with negative AFP, 2 (22%) became positive. This test in 48 pregnant women was negative. Quantitative determination of the serum AFP was performed. It was found that 68% of 38 patients with hepatoma had the AFP concentration in the range of 10-199 μg/ml.