Radioimmunoassay for carcinoembryonic antigen and alpha 1-fetoprotein in the qualitative evaluation of focal hepatic lesions in Japan.

The combined tests of serum alpha 1-fetoprotein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were routinely performed in 210 patients with focal hepatic lesions on a 99mTc-colloid liver scan in order to determine whether these could provide more useful information that AFP test alone in the qualitative evaluation of focal hepatic lesions. The predictive value of hepatoma with positive AFP alone remained 80%. However, when the negative CEA was combined with positive AFP, the predictive value of hepatoma (91%) with both was greatly increased. On the other hand, the predictive value of metastatic liver cancer with positive CEA showed 92%. The combined test of AFP and CEA may be useful for preserving high predictive values of hepatoma and metastatic liver disease.