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Alpha Feta Protein (AFP)...

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Posted 3/27/2013 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
Was your AFP level increased/elevated when you first were diagnosed with HCC?
Posted 3/27/2013 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
Mikes has been going up for about a year....and is going up again. Uh, oh.

Carol
Posted 3/27/2013 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Carol...was Mike's AFP elevated when he first was diagnosed with HCC? Is his doctor concerned about it going up?
Posted 3/27/2013 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
Yes

Yes

Most recent TP labs showed increase again and they wanted us to bring labs to our oncologist though he had an appt scheduled for next month. The oncologist is on maternity leave til Apr. 1st. Head of dept called. OK to wait til MRI and appt. I thought that was thorough.

Mike also has heart valve problem. And hep c viral load is going up. And his BP is all over the place. And he is having tooth abscess.

He is not having a happy spring.

Carol

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 3/27/2013 1:42:34 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/27/2013 7:45 PM (GMT 0)
I didn't know much at all when I was first diagnosed with HCC. With the second one, that required transplant, the AFP started rising. They followed the AFP for a couple of months and it kept rising and the tumor was growing, so that time a transplant was required.

The good news is that your mom's HCC is working to keep her at the top of the TP list. Remind me again where she is listed, please.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 3/28/2013 5:19 AM (GMT 0)
So, is the AFP is elevated once you have HCC? What happens if the AFP is within range?
Posted 3/28/2013 7:13 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know of a case where the AFP hasn't been elevated. As I said, they watch for trends. If the AFP keeps rising, that's pretty indicative of a tumor. If it stays about the same, it's not as clear-cut as to what is going on.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 3/28/2013 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
AFP is. Tricky tumor marker

It was explained to me this way

AFP almost always elevates with HCC

But NOT everyone with elevated AFP has HCC

So it can suggest but is not diagnostic

Carol
Posted 3/28/2013 10:18 PM (GMT 0)
I was told that also. AFP is almost always elevated with chronic Hep C and Cirrhosis. I also read that in a Mayo clinic report. Just saying.
Posted 3/29/2013 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
AFP is only a piece of the puzzle and not the whole picture.
Posted 3/29/2013 4:06 AM (GMT 0)
I got very lucky this month as my tumor was benign......but I wondered if this was a good time to have an AFP done as a baseline? Has anyone ever heard of anybody doing that? I do have chronic HepC with cirrhosis. Just curious. My health benefits are from the VA hospital and they sometimes don't do too much extra.
Posted 3/29/2013 4:12 AM (GMT 0)
Is there a difference between the way the AFP reacts with Hep C versus Hep B?
My mom has hepatitis B, that's why I ask.
Posted 3/29/2013 4:52 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know, WD, but I would guess that there's no difference.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 3/29/2013 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know specifically about when is a good time to have a baseline AFP reading. But I have cirrhosis caused by AIH and an AFP test is done every 6 months as part of my routine blood tests. HCC is much rarer in people with cirrhosis caused by AIH than Hep B and C but it can happen. Hence the tests.

Ann
Posted 3/30/2013 12:38 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the info everyone!
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