The evaluation of tumour marker proteins in the diagnosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

The sera of 122 patients with biopsy confirmed primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) were examined for the presence of alphafoetoprotein (AFP), alpha 1antitrypsin 1 (AAT), alpha 1acidglycoprotein (AGP) 1, gammaglutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), carcinoemryonic antigen (Roche) (CEA) and the "Hepatoma-Liver antigen" H-L Ag). 83% of patients had elevation of AFP of more than 18 ng/ml 7.4% and 15.5% had levels between 19--100 ng/ml and 100-500 ng/ml respectively. Raised AAT, AGP, GGT, CEA and HL Ag were found in many patients with PHC. Grossly elevated AFP were usually diagnostic of PHC. The combination of AAT, AGP, CEA and HL Ag were useful in the diagnosis of AFP negative cases.