Alpha-fetoprotein-like activity in sera from patients with malignant and non-malignant disease and healthy individuals.

A new method, radio-crossed immunoelectrophoresis, demonstrates alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in sera with a sensitivity of 1 mug/1. By this method AFP with alpha mobility was not found in sera from healthy individuals, patients with chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, secondary liver cancer and cystic fibrosis. In some of the sera, AFP was elevated when measured by conventional radioimmunoassay method and the sera contained an AFP-like substance with gamma mobility when analyzed by radio-crossed immunoelectrophoresis. The nature of this gamma substance is still obscure and needs further investigation.