Alpha-1-fetoprotein and the heat stable alkaline phosphatase in some liver diseases.

The presence of alpha-1-fetoprotein, the heat stable alkaline phosphatase and Australia antigen was examined in 103 patients with porphyria cutanea tarda, 300 patients with cirrhosis and 18 patients with primary liver carcinoma. The heat stable alkaline phosphatase was determined in 46 percent of patients with porphyria cutanea tarda and in 61 percent of patients with primary liver carcinoma. Alpha-1-fetoprotein was detected in 61 percent of patients with primary liver carcinoma and in 2 patients with porphyria cutanea tarda in whom primary liver carcinoma was proved later. The simultaneous occurrence of alpha-1-fetoprotein and the heat stable alkaline phosphatase was found in 50 percent of cases with primary liver carcinoma. Neither the patients with porphyria cutanea tarda nor the patients with cirrhosis were Australia-antigen positive. Australia-antigen could be detected only in one patient with alpha-1-fetoprotein positive-carcinoma of the liver.