Alphafetoprotein levels of liver cancer patients and controls in a European population.

Serum alphafetoprotein (AFP) levels were determined by radioimmunoassay for 80 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC), 40 with metastatic liver cancer (MLC), and 204 controls; all were Caucasians of Greek nationality. Among histologically confirmed PHC cases, 62% had more than 1000 International Units per millilitre (IU/ml) AFP. Only one case with MLC (3%) exceeded 1000 IU/ml AFP, but lower elevations were not uncommon (13%). Among controls, none exceeded 40 IU/ml. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was detected among 6% of 17 histologically confirmed PHC patients with AFP less than 100 IU/ml and 60% of 63 PHC patients with more than 100 IU/ml of AFP (p < 0.001). Control subjects positive for HBsAg had significantly higher AFP values compared to those negative for it (P < 0.01) and male controls had slightly higher AFP values than female controls.