Alpha-fetoprotein in the serum of patients with neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract.

Serum alpha-fetoprotein was estimated in 61 patients with neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract, 29 healthy controls and 10 pregnant women. Almost half ot the patients had increased values of alpha-fetoprotein and no parellelism between alpha-fetoprotein and liver metastasis was found. Decreasing of the alpha-fetoprotein during the postoperative period could be considered a sign for a total removal of the tumor, and, on the contrary -- increasing of alpha-fetoprotein -- for a recurrence.