Clinical classification of hepatoma in Japan according to serial changes in serum alpha‐fetoprotein levels

Abstract

Quantitative determinations of serum alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) in 96 patients with hepatomas have demonstrated three main groups based on changes in the serial levels: 1) patients with more than 10 000 ng/ml during most of their clinical course, and with an increase of 10 000 ng/ml or more in a week (Group A); 2) patients with levels varying from 200 to 10 000 ng/ml and with an increase of 1000 ng/ ml in three to four months (Group B); and 3) patients with serum AFP levels below 200 ng/ml during most of their clinical course (Group C). The patients in Group A had a mean survival time of 7.62 ± 3.97 months, and those in Group B, 16.18 ± 12.18 months. The patients in Group C were subdivided into two groups according to whether survival time was long (33.92 ± 28.22 months) or short (3.75 ± 0.87 months). Histologic findings revealed poorly differentiated carcinoma in patients in Group A, moderately differentiated carcinoma in those in Group B, and well differentiated carcinoma in those with long survival in Group C and anaplastic carcinoma in those with short survival in Group C. Copyright © 1982 American Cancer Society