What is a high alpha-fetoprotein level?

What is a high alpha-fetoprotein level?

An AFP level between 10 ng/mL to 20 ng/mL is normal for adults. An extremely high level of AFP in your blood—greater than 400 ng/mL—could be a sign of liver tumors. High levels of AFP may mean other cancers, including Hodgkin disease, lymphoma, and renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer).

What is the alpha-fetoprotein test for?

An AFP blood test is used to check a developing fetus for risk of birth defects and genetic disorders, such as neural tube defects or Down syndrome.

What is AFP tumor marker mean?

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is used as a tumor marker to help detect and diagnose cancers of the liver, testicles, and ovaries.

What causes elevated alpha-fetoprotein?

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a protein produced primarily by the liver in a developing baby (fetus). AFP levels are normally elevated when a baby is born and then decline rapidly. Outside of pregnancy and birth, liver damage and certain cancers can increase AFP levels significantly.

What is normal tumor marker range?

Normal range: < 2.5 ng/ml. Normal range may vary somewhat depending on the brand of assay used. Levels > 10 ng/ml suggest extensive disease and levels > 20 ng/ml suggest metastatic disease.

How accurate is alpha-fetoprotein screening?

This means it is not 100% accurate. It is only a screening test to see who might need more tests for their pregnancy. There can be false-positive results. These results show a problem when the baby is actually healthy.

What is high tumor marker count?

High tumor marker levels can be a sign of cancer. Along with other tests, tumor marker tests can help doctors diagnose specific types of cancer and plan treatment. Tumor marker tests are most commonly used to do the following: Learn if a person has cancer.

How common is a false-positive AFP test?

Around 50 percent of the tests are considered to be false-positive. That means that the test is falsely being reported as positive. False-positive results may be because the mother is carrying twins, inaccurate dates, a low birth weight infant, a large placenta or a sample that was contaminated.

What happens if tumor markers are high?

Although an elevated level of a circulating tumor marker may suggest the presence of cancer and can sometimes help to diagnose cancer, this alone is not enough to diagnose cancer. For example, noncancerous conditions can sometimes cause the levels of certain tumor markers to increase.

What is the AST level for cirrhosis?

An AST/ALT ratio higher than one (where the AST is higher than ALT) means you may have cirrhosis. An AST/ALT ratio higher than 2:1 (where the AST is more than twice as high as the ALT) is a sign of alcoholic liver disease.