[Study on the evaluation of recurrence of HCC and the effect after transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization--fluctuations in AFP values].

To determine the usefulness of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in determining recurrence of HCC after interventional angiography (IVA) and to define the relation between AFP and the imaging diagnosis of HCC recurrence, changes in AFP values in 160 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were treated by IVA > or = two times were classified into four patterns: A: the AFP value was decreased after the first IVA, increased at recurrence and decreased again after the second IVA; B: the AFP value was unchanged after the first IVA, but increased at recurrence and decreased after the second IVA; C: the AFP value was decreased after the first IVA, but was not increased at recurrence; D: the AFP value showed no change. The frequency of each AFP pattern and the diagnosis of recurrence by AFP were determined. The relation between tumor type and AFP was defined. Pattern A was the most frequently detected. In 62.6%, AFP was increased at recurrence (A and B), and there was a positive correlation between changes in the AFP value and the findings of imaging diagnosis. In another 37.5%, AFP was not increased at recurrence (C and D), and therefore, the diagnosis of HCC recurrence by imaging methods was very important.