Fetal proteins in various tumors.

Radial immunodiffusion assay was used to measure fetal hemoglobin (HbF) concentrations in 312 patients with various malignancies. In 305 of these, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was measured by radioimmunoassay. The concentration of HbF exceeded 3 SDs above the normal mean in 68 of 312 patients, most notably in patients with leukemia, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, bladder carcinoma and testicular tumors. HbF was correlated with total hemoglobin concentration and with serum AFP concentration in hepatoma and bladder carcinoma.