Hereditary persistence of alpha-fetoprotein (HPAF P): review of the literature.

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) serum levels are raised in several clinical conditions, ranging from non-pathological conditions to malignancies. Hereditary persistence of alpha-fetoprotein (HPAFP) is a rare benign disorder with elevated AFP levels. HPAFP is described as a benign autosomal dominantly inherited condition which is not associated with any clinical disability or additional symptoms. In the past 28 years, only 19 families have been described; due to this unfamiliarity with HPAFP, elevated AFP levels are never attributed to HPAFP. However, undiagnosed HPAFP can result in inappropriate and unnecessary treatment decisions. Therefore, HPAFP should be taken into consideration in patients with unexplained elevated AFP levels, and especially in patients with urological disorders.