AFP (ALPHA FETOPROTEIN)

ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN (AFP) IS A PROTEIN PRODUCED BY THE DEVELOPING FETUS. IN ADULTS, HIGH LEVELS OF AFP CAN BE A SIGN OF CERTAIN DISEASES.TUMOR MARKER: AFP IS USED AS A TUMOR MARKER FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF CANCER, PARTICULARLY HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA (HCC), WHICH IS THE MOST COMMON FORM OF LIVER CANCER. ELEVATED AFP LEVELS IN A PATIENT AT RISK FOR HCC (E.G., SOMEONE WITH CIRRHOSIS) CAN SUGGEST THE PRESENCE OF THE CANCER. GERM CELL TUMORS: AFP IS ALSO A KEY MARKER FOR DIAGNOSING AND MONITORING GERM CELL TUMORS, WHICH CAN BE FOUND IN THE TESTES AND OVARIES. PRENATAL SCREENING: AFP IS PART OF A PRENATAL SCREENING PANEL (THE TRIPLE SCREEN OR QUAD SCREEN) TO HELP DETECT BIRTH DEFECTS. ABNORMALLY HIGH LEVELS CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH NEURAL TUBE DEFECTS (LIKE SPINA BIFIDA), WHILE LOW LEVELS CAN BE A SIGN OF DOWN SYNDROME.