For expectant mother 

By itself, the analysis for AFP is nonspecific. Norms of the AFP concentration level depending on the gestational age. What is AFP and its role in the body

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a compound of proteins in the blood of the human embryo. After birth, this connection is already absent, both in women and in men. If a blood test for AFP shows the presence of protein compounds in the blood of an adult, this may indicate the presence of cancer.

In another way, this protein is called a marker of diseases or cancer marker. In order to determine the amount of alpha fetoprotein or AFP, it is necessary to take a biomaterial (blood) from a vein. There can be many tumor markers. They are determined on the delivery of tests to determine hormones and various enzymes, one of which is analysis for AFP.

What are the tumor markers

All tumor markers can be identified in the group of protein compounds and derivatives of proteins. Conventionally, they can be divided into two large groups:

  • Tumor markers that appear with a specific tumor;
  • Tumor markers, which can be an indicator of the growth process of a neoplasm as a whole;

The level of alpha-fetoproteins is especially well diagnosed. This is the most common marker. It allows you to accurately identify liver cancer and other forms of neoplasms.

Today, AFP analysis is the main method used to diagnose cancer. Correct interpretation of the research result helps to determine the disease even at the initial stage. The stage at which a tumor is detected is very important. The earlier a neoplasm is detected, the more chances a person has to survive.

Determination of markers in the blood is necessary not only for the diagnosis of diseases. These laboratory studies are carried out to assess the effectiveness of the therapy. In particular, the analysis helps to determine the appearance of metastases.

Analysis OK

The normal indicator for men is in the range of 0.5–5.5 IU / ml. The same rate for non-pregnant women. There are two types of analysis to determine the tumor marker:

  • Immunochemical
  • Immunoassay

The rate will differ depending on the type of analysis. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify at the doctor's appointment exactly how the laboratory study was carried out. In pregnant women, the rate is much higher, especially in the last stages of pregnancy. At 32 weeks, the level of fetoprotein begins to decrease.

The analysis is assigned in the case of:

  • If liver cancer is suspected
  • If cancer therapy is being carried out
  • If early detection of fetal malformations is required
  • When monitoring the state of development of the fetus during pregnancy

It is especially important to carry out laboratory studies of these protein compounds during the period of bearing a child.

This will allow you to identify the vices of the unborn child in time.

Protective functions of the protein block the detrimental effects of the mother's immunity on the fetus. The determination is prescribed after 5 weeks, when the fetus begins to develop independently. The protein content in the mother's blood increases proportionally with the increase in the protein in the fetal blood. The highest value is observed at 32 weeks. After that, the level of the tumor marker goes down.

If the AFP level is increased

What does it mean if the level of AFP in the blood is elevated? It is possible that the blood test for alpha fetoproteins is slightly increased. Then, it is definitely a sign of liver disease. Most often, such a disease is not cancer. Diseases in which AFP analysis is increased:

  • Hepatoblastoma and liver carcinoma
  • Ovarian and testicular neoplasms
  • Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus
  • Breast cancer
  • Pancreas cancer
  • Other diseases that metastasize to the liver

If the level is not very high, this means that the liver is affected by diseases of non-oncological origin:

  • Different types of hepatitis
  • Cirrhosis at any stage
  • Renal failure

AFP analysis can be used to identify benign tumors and their stages. What are benign neoplasms? This is a tissue pathology with a slowdown in their development. Very often, the identification of such tumors is complicated by their small size. Therefore, an analysis for alpha protein can reveal the following pathologies:

  • Fatty hepatosis
  • Adenoma and liver hyperplasia
  • Cholecystitis
  • Cholelithiasis
  • Cystic lesions in the liver and urinary system

In any case, only a medical specialist can accurately decipher the research result. Usually, the diagnosis is carried out in conjunction with other biochemical tests of the patient's blood. Having received data on several indicators, the doctor will be able to accurately establish the diagnosis.

A sharp spike in AFP levels can be temporary. It is due to the following reasons:

  • Post-traumatic period, in which liver tissue regeneration occurs
  • Long-term use of drugs metabolized by hepatocytes
  • Exacerbations of liver and gallbladder diseases

The above diseases are diagnosed with a sharp jump only in the absence of pregnancy in women. The patient must be absolutely sure of this factor.

Why is an analysis prescribed for pregnant women?

A decrease in protein during pregnancy can indicate very serious processes:

  • The initial stage of Down syndrome in an unborn child
  • Delayed development of the fetus and the appearance of defects
  • Risk of miscarriage
  • "False" pregnancy
  • Bubble drift
  • Death of the fetus

During pregnancy, the determination of proteins is carried out in a complex of other procedures. Diagnostics takes place as part of prenatal screening. These are mandatory studies during gestation. This helps to diagnose the development of fetal pathologies at an early stage.

How to get tested correctly

Before donating blood for analysis, you need to prepare. This preparation will help you get the most accurate results possible. Because, in such a serious study, it is important to take into account any deviation, and there is a very small corridor of error.

The biomaterial is taken from the patient's vein. Therefore, this procedure is carried out in the morning, when the concentration of biochemical substances in the blood is especially high. It is extremely important to understand that the consumption of any food and drink can affect the quality composition of micronutrients.

Directly on the day of taking the analysis, give up your morning meal.

Approximately 1-2 days before the analysis, it is recommended to stop eating foods that have a detrimental effect on the liver. This is fried food, especially fatty meats. Try to eliminate foods high in oils. They contain a lot of heavy fats, which are stored in the liver. Spicy food negatively affects the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract.

You should also limit the intake of fluids, including water. The volume drunk before analysis should not exceed 500 milliliters. Violation of this recommendation can lead to an increase in blood volume. Thus, the protein index will be underestimated.

Almost all drugs can affect the quality of laboratory tests. It is very important to exclude taking all medications at least 1 week before the appointed date of biomaterial sampling. Of course, this rule does not apply to drugs that are vital for the patient.

Doctors recommend giving up physical activity. During active sports, the body produces a number of trace elements that interfere with the correct diagnosis. Drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking tobacco can completely change the research result. This can significantly complicate the diagnosis process.

Usually, a number of studies on tumor markers are assigned to look at the development of the disease over time. Additional support is provided by instrumental diagnostic methods: ultrasound and X-ray.

In contact with

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a protein that is synthesized in the liver of the fetus. Here it plays the same role as albumin in an ordinary person - it protects the fetus from the negative effects of estrogens, transports useful substances and blocks the effects of the immune system of the mother's body. Usually, the level of this protein is half-elevated in newborns, but after 10-12 months it reaches the norm corresponding to that of an adult. Alpha-fetoprotein has the ability to cross the placental barrier and enter the body of a pregnant woman, so its level rises during pregnancy, which is completely normal.

In the body of an adult, alpha-fetoprotein is a tumor marker - a significant increase in the level indicates the development of a malignant neoplasm.

The rate of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood. Decoding the result (table)

An AFP test is done while monitoring the course of pregnancy, for the timely detection of fetal pathology and other possible disorders. Usually, this analysis is carried out in the second trimester of pregnancy, at 15-20 weeks, as part of the so-called triple test, which determines the level of alpha-fetoprotein, estriol and chorionic gonadotropin in a woman's body. If any abnormalities are detected, additional examinations are prescribed to find out their cause. In itself, the deviation from the norm of the indicators of the level of alpha-fetoprotein is not an absolute marker of the pathology of fetal development.

As for an ordinary healthy unencumbered person, then he has either no alpha-fetoprotein at all, or is present in insignificant quantities. An AFP test is prescribed if there is a suspicion of the presence of malignant neoplasms.

The norm of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood of a healthy person:


If alpha-fetoprotein is elevated, what does it mean?

A slight increase in the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood of an adult may indicate some pathological processes occurring in the liver. If there is a sharp increase, then such a phenomenon is a sign of the development of a malignant neoplasm - in the liver or in the gonads. The fact is that such neoplasms in their properties resemble embryonic tissue, they synthesize proteins characteristic of the fetus in the early stages of its development. That is why the AFP test is so important - it allows almost with complete reliability to detect and diagnose cancers of the liver or gonads at the earliest stages, several months before the first signs of this disease appear.

Diseases in which there is an increase in the level of alpha-fetoprotein:

  • hepatoblastoma of the liver,
  • hepatocellular carcinoma of the liver,
  • embryonic cell neoplasms of the ovaries in women and testes in men,
  • squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus,
  • other malignant neoplasms that have metastases to the liver.

An increase in the level of alpha-fetoprotein up to 10 IU / ml is considered insignificant and, as a rule, indicates liver diseases that are not related to oncology - viral hepatitis, cirrhosis.

In cancers of the bile ducts and gallbladder, the level of alpha-fetoprotein is used as an additional tumor marker. After removal of a malignant tumor, the level of alpha-fetoprotein may remain elevated for some time and only after a few weeks, with successful treatment, does it return to the required norm. If the rate of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood has not decreased or it is not going fast enough, this indicates the presence of a residual tumor or metastases.

The alpha-fetoprotein level allows you to monitor the effectiveness of treatment during radio- or chemotherapy. In the case of a slow increase, we can say that these methods were ineffective.

In pregnant women, an excess of the level of alpha-fetoprotein of the required norm may indicate the pathological development of the fetus or the threat of termination of pregnancy. But this is only in those cases when the norm is significantly exceeded - by 2-3 times. Such an anomaly gives reason to suspect:

  • anecephaly in the fetus,
  • pathology in the development of the kidneys,
  • atresia of the esophagus or intestines,
  • fetal distress syndrome,
  • non-union of the anterior abdominal wall in the fetus,
  • cranial hernia,
  • frozen pregnancy and fetal death.

But there are also pleasant exceptions. So, an excess of the usual rate of alpha-fetoprotein may indicate multiple pregnancies or a large fetus.

If alpha-fetoprotein is lowered, what does it mean?

If alpha-fetoprotein is absent in the blood of an ordinary person, this is completely normal, then you are healthy. A decrease in the level to normal or less after removal of the tumor indicates a successful treatment.

Another thing is during pregnancy. A decrease in the level of alpha-fetoprotein usually indicates the following pathologies in the development of the fetus:

  • Down syndrome
  • cystic drift
  • trisomy 18,
  • fetal death and the threat of miscarriage.

However, this phenomenon can be explained by the incorrectly set period of pregnancy.

Is it realistic to detect an oncological neoplasm in the early stages or to feel the appearance of tumors? Modern medicine is finding ways to detect cancer in the early stages. In the modern world, it became possible to determine the onset of tumor development using special substances - tumor markers. It is quite possible to find them in blood, urine at preclinical stages of the disease process. These materials are produced by tumor cells. Of all the secreted proteins, the AFP tumor marker is quite significant: what it is and how to check it is described below.

Types of tumor markers

Tumor markers are materials of protein origin, which are produced in the human body due to an oncological predisposition. Tumor cells supply these proteins to the blood from the moment the neoplasms begin to appear and develop, therefore, with the help of diagnostics, the disease can be detected even at the minimum stages of development. By the value of the tumor marker, one can learn not only about the presence of the disease, but also about the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment. Even the constant observation of these substances makes it possible to catch the primary relapse of the disease.

Attention! To date, there are already over two hundred types of tumor markers. Some of them are quite specific, so by examining them, you can identify the localization of the neoplasm.

The rise in test values ​​can be influenced not only by cancer, but also by a number of other ailments. All tumor markers, including AFP and hCG, are biological components that are formed in the peripheral blood or other environment of the human body if the onset of cancer has occurred. Their presence can be found out using special laboratory tests.

At the moment, many different markers have been discovered for the detection of oncological diseases. Each of them helps to detect cancer in the early stages. Analysis for the AFP tumor marker (transcript: alpha-fetoprotein), the rate of which is also important, is no exception. AFP tumor marker is a collection of macromolecules consisting of a protein mass that has a carbohydrate or lipid near it.

Such substances are produced directly by cancer cells. Some molecules enter the bloodstream, where they can actually be traced using laboratory tests.

There is a second type of tumor markers - biologically active substances produced by normal cells of a healthy person in acceptable quantities. If suddenly a malignant tumor grows in the body, such markers quickly respond to the aggressiveness of the cancer. As a result, enzymes, hormonal substances or similar active materials are formed in large quantities in the diseased organ or even in other systems. These formations are nonspecific tumor markers.

For a reliable result, the patient is always recommended to check the tumor markers of the first type, because they have a clearly visible belonging to a particular organ. After studying such proteins, the second type is also being investigated, high rates of which may indicate a cancer disease.

Indications for the analysis of tumor markers

These substances are investigated for different purposes:

  • to identify new benign tumors that tend to become malignant;
  • when there is a suspicion of cancer of any organs;
  • to fix the result after removal of malignant formations in complex operations;
  • to study the effectiveness of the treatment of tumors performed;
  • to determine the initial stages of cancer;
  • in order to predict the appearance of onco-type diseases.

What is AFP

AFP tumor marker - what is this protein? Alpha-fetoprotein is a protein substance that is usually produced by embryonic cells in a pregnant woman's body. After the birth of a baby, alpha-fetoprotein is synthesized in the liver of adults. During pregnancy, this protein controls the mother's immunity, can identify the fetus as a foreign formation, and begin an attack on it. High AFP levels in pregnant women are normal. If the value is too low, then one can draw conclusions about the congenital abnormalities of the fetus.

In small amounts, AF-protein is excreted in the blood of the stronger sex and non-pregnant girls. The quantitative norm of AF-proteina is determined by ten world units or approximately 15 ng / ml. Protein A-fetoprotein is used as an oncological marker due to the fact that it has some antitumor effect.

Due to these properties, alpha-fetoprotein is able to destroy cancer cells in the liver, uterus, breast, and lungs. The amount of this protein increases with the appearance of oncological tumors due to the fact that the body begins to fight cancer, secreting additional enzymes. An even high concentration of A-fetoprotein can be in hepatic cirrhosis and hepatitis.

AFP testing is often done through blood tests. However, there are times when the data is taken from bile or saliva.

Doctors do not determine the level of this protein independently, but using three types of screening. The concentration of A-fetoprotein is studied with the identification of unbound spatial estradiol, as well as chorionic gonadotropin in the human body (hCG). This type of approach makes it possible to study AFP in pregnancies and in order to diagnose cancer of the liver, uterus and breast.

How to decipher A-fetoprotein data

The interpretation of the results is carried out in the same laboratory where the study took place. The blood test for AF protein is deciphered, depending on the method of research. The description of the results should be made in accordance with the standard generally accepted in the diagnostic center. The reference values ​​for A-fetoprotein levels in different institutions may differ slightly from each other. For the norm of the AFP level for different sex and age, certain values ​​are taken.

  1. Analysis for AFP, a tumor marker, is the norm in adult women and men.

In the body, it is considered normal to have no more than 7.0 ng / ml of AF protein. Indicators that exceed the above norms can be considered an increased level of the AFP tumor marker. What does this mean?

If you have an increased level of A-fetoprotein in your blood, this may be a symptom of some diseases of cancer origin:

  • hepatocellular carcinoma;
  • hepatic metastases;
  • germ cell malignancies in the ovaries or testes;
  • malignant tumors in the pancreas;
  • In addition to oncological diseases, the following gynecological ailments can act as provocateurs of an increase in A-fetoprotein:
  • various hepatitis;
  • hepatic cirrhosis;
  • clogging of the bile ducts;
  • liver damage by alcohol;
  • telangiectasia syndrome;
  • tyrosinemia, inherited.

In such cases, the rate of A-fetoprotein is allowed up to 10 IU / ml. If the result of an AFP tumor marker in the body shows more than 400 IU / ml, it can be assumed that this is a symptom of cancer. The high level of this protein in pregnant women at 14-16 weeks of gestation gives a signal that the child may be born with congenital abnormalities or the woman in labor has a disease. If the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein in the body is more than ten IU / mg, it is concluded that there is an AFP tumor marker in the body, the norm of which is exceeded.

Quite often, these results cause disturbing thoughts in people, in particular, in pregnant women. Don't panic right away. Exceeding the norm of one protein A-fetoprotein does not give confidence either in deviations or in deficiencies in the development of the child. The likelihood of the formation of Down syndrome in the fetus with a high AFP index is small. If the amount of A-phytoprotein is exceeded, there is no guaranteed likelihood of cancer. But you shouldn't postpone the problem until later either. Exceeding normal indicators indicates that it is time to make various examinations of the expectant mother or another patient who has a problem. Only a complex of studies will make it possible to find out the exact reason for the overestimated concentration of alpha-fetoprotein in a particular person.

What does the AFP level change signalize?

The results for the AFP tumor marker, which show too high or low values, have their own reasons. What diseases are signals of changes in the AF-protein parameters in the blood?

  1. An indicator exceeding the age norm.

If the results are more than 10 IU / ml, then specialists prescribe various types of studies to the patient in order to establish the diagnosis as accurately as possible. It is believed that the excess of this protein means that the body is exposed to serious diseases, for example, cancer of the breast, liver, lungs, the formation of malignant neoplasms in the testicles, ovaries.

  1. For pregnant women, high results may indicate, first of all, the presence of several fetuses, and also about:
  • hepatic necrosis of the child;
  • hernia of the navel;
  • abnormalities of the urinary tract.
  1. Too low test results for AF-protein in expectant mothers indicate:
  • abnormalities in the development of the fetus;
  • trisomy;
  • cystic aspiration;
  • suspicious pregnancy.

There is also a temporary rise in AF protein. As mentioned above, the level of this substance may increase temporarily during pregnancy. At the fifteenth week, values ​​can be in the range of 15-62 IU / ml, but by the twentieth week, they can jump to 119 IU / ml. In addition, in ordinary people, a change in the level of A-fetoprotein can occur with exacerbations of gallstone disease and cholecystitis, with the transformation of the liver parenchyma, after various injuries or intoxication of the body.

Excessive accumulation of AFP can be with some diseases:

  • cirrhosis of the liver;
  • prolonged and acute hepatitis;
  • persistent kidney failure.

If, when analyzed for an AFP tumor marker, the norm in women is underestimated (during pregnancy), this may indicate a delay in the development of the child and some ailments of the expectant mother. Thus, doctors often notice a high concentration in diabetes and obesity.

A too low AFP test result with poor results and other tests reports a significant risk of having a baby with Down syndrome. But the most common explanation for the decrease in AFP is the low level of the location of the placenta.

In order to determine the number of A-fetoprotein tumor markers, a special AFP test is used, which doctors call the Tatarinov-Abelev reaction. This method allows you to find alpha-fetoproteins using agar precipitation. The results of analyzes can be processed up to one week, therefore, they are presented to patients after seven days.

How to prepare for the delivery of this analysis

The results of the research to some extent depend on how well the person prepared to donate the substance. In many cases, the AFP level is measured through venous blood. In order for the results to be as reliable as possible, it is necessary to adhere to certain recommendations.

  1. Blood for AF-protein should be donated in the morning and on an empty stomach.
  2. On the eve of donating blood, you should not eat fatty and smoked food, in addition, seasoned with various hot spices. It is recommended not to eat for about eight hours before the test.
  3. Before you go for the analysis, you need to get a good rest.
  4. Do not drink alcohol before donating blood.

For analyzes for the AFP tumor marker, the decoding of the values ​​(the norm in your body of this protein or not) is performed both in a state hospital and in a private institution. One of the most important requirements for this laboratory is the following: clinic specialists should, ideally, be proficient in the research process. The cost of the analysis is usually insignificant, so everyone can afford it.

If you are going to get tested for the accumulation of A-phytoprotein, trust the specialists. You should not try to figure out the results of the analysis yourself - an experienced doctor should do this. Exceptionally complex analyzes will help you find out the truth.

What can affect the results of the analyzes

Various factors influence the results.

  1. For example, people of the Negroid race usually have a fairly high content of AF-protein in the body, and the representatives of the Mongoloid race - low.
  2. The presence of diseases of the endocrine system (diabetes, biotin, viral diseases), which recently occurred in a patient, is also taken into account.
  3. Minor deviations from the norm are also possible in pregnant women who are expecting twins or more children.

In order to protect oneself from the appearance of cancer and other oncological diseases in time, it is necessary to approach such analyzes with responsibility and follow the instructions of doctors.

Tumor markers are special substances that appear in the blood or urine of a person as a result of the development of malignant and sometimes benign neoplasms. They are very diverse in structure (hormones, enzymes, and so on), but most often they are proteins or derivatives from them.


There are two types of tumor markers:

  • substances arising from a specific type of neoplasm;
  • tumor markers, the number of which in the body increases with different types of cancer pathologies.

A significant increase in the amount of one or another tumor marker in the body indicates the development of malignant neoplasms, which makes the analysis for tumor markers a fairly effective method for diagnosing cancer in the early stages. In addition, such studies allow monitoring the effectiveness of anticancer therapy and early detection of metastases.


To date, it has been possible to identify about 200 types of tumor markers, but only 20 are considered well diagnosed and the most common, among which alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).


The analysis for the tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein is most often used to diagnose liver cancer. The values ​​of the norm of this tumor marker for men and non-pregnant women are: 0.5 - 5.5 IU / ml. In primary liver cancer, a significant increase in the AFP content in the body (more than 10 IU / ml) is observed in 95% of patients, and in 50% of cases, an increase in the AFP content begins 2-3 months earlier than the first clinical manifestations of the disease.


An increased level of AFP in the blood is observed in patients with hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma of the liver, with embryonic cell neoplasms of the ovaries and testicles, with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, as well as with metastases of some other neoplasms in the liver. A slight increase in the level of alpha-fetoprotein (from 5.5 to 10 IU / ml) may indicate liver diseases of non-cancerous origin, characterized by intensive tissue regeneration (viral hepatitis, cirrhosis), as well as reparative processes in other tissues of the human body. As an additional tumor marker, alpha-fetoprotein can be used to diagnose cancer of the gallbladder and bile duct.


The half-life of alpha-fetoprotein in the body is approximately 5 days, therefore, monitoring the concentration of AFP in the blood serum for several weeks after removal of the malignant neoplasm, as well as after chemotherapy or radiation therapy, allows you to monitor the course of treatment. If the level of the tumor marker is constantly increasing, this means that the prognosis is poor. A slowly decreasing AFP level indicates the presence of metastases or residual tumor.


AFP is also a marker of fetal health.

An increase in its level in the blood of a pregnant woman is noticed starting from the tenth week of pregnancy, the norm in this case is:

  • 15 weeks - 15.6 - 62.4 IU / ml;
  • 16 weeks - 16.8 - 66.4 IU / ml;
  • 18 weeks - 22.4 - 88.8 IU / ml;
  • 20 weeks - 29.6 - 119.2 IU / ml.

The maximum concentration is observed at 33-34 weeks, after which the level of alpha-fetoprotein decreases. Analysis of the AFP level helps to identify various abnormalities in the development of the fetus. So a low concentration in the serum of a woman may indicate fetal malnutrition, Down's syndrome, undeveloped pregnancy.

An excess of the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein in a pregnant woman by more than two to three times may indicate such pathologies in the development of the fetus:

  • anencephaly;
  • abnormalities in the development of the kidneys;
  • intrauterine death;
  • encephalocele (cranial hernia).
In addition, an increased AFP level in a pregnant woman may indicate a threat of spontaneous abortion, as well as a multiple pregnancy or a large fetus.

Special preparation for testing for the AFP tumor marker is not required. The material for research is blood serum.

The general rules for preparing for analyzes are as follows:

  • blood is donated in the morning (from 8 to 11 o'clock) on an empty stomach, at least eight hours should elapse between blood sampling and the last meal, and you can drink water as usual;
  • the day before the tests, it is necessary to completely exclude the use of alcoholic beverages, taking medications (in agreement with the doctor) and excessive physical activity;
  • 2-3 hours before donating blood, you must not smoke, drink tea, coffee, juices;
  • you cannot donate blood for tumor markers immediately after undergoing physiotherapy procedures, ultrasound, massage, or any instrumental examination.

The test results are received quickly enough - within a day, if urgent execution is necessary, then it is possible to receive an answer in 2-3 hours.

Literature:

  1. L.V. Petrova "Tumor markers in clinical practice"
  2. Zubtsova Zh.I. "Analysis of nine serological tumor markers on a hydrogel biochip"

In animals (including humans) and some plants in the blood or intercellular fluid a very important protein is present - albumin... Basically, it carries out a transport function: it binds to other substances and transfers them to the right place. Specifically, people have their own type of albumin - serum albumin. But serum albumin does not appear in human blood immediately: during the development of the embryo / fetus and approximately 7 days after birth, its function is performed by "embryonic albumin" - alpha fetoprotein. AFP can be present both in the blood of a pregnant woman (which is normal) and in the blood of other patients: men or non-pregnant women (which is highly likely to indicate cancer). Below we will explain why this happens.

As mentioned above, the main purpose of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is transporting other molecules from one place to another.

In the embryo, AFP is synthesized by the corpus luteum (a special tissue that helps the fetus develop in the first weeks of pregnancy), and after the development of the liver, by the liver. After synthesis, AFP enters the mother's blood, from where it takes polyunsaturated fatty acids and carries them to the fetus. This is the first of the main functions. The second is that the immunity of the fetus, with too active development, can come into conflict both with the tissues of the mother and with its own growing organs, which can lead to fatal consequences.

AFP is thought to suppress fetal immunity.

Information above belonged to gynecology... Now - about oncology. The AFP test sometimes shows an increased value in men, children, and non-pregnant women, which in most cases indicates liver cancer or metastases. Why? It is associated with cancer as such: a malignant neoplasm is most often a group of defective or germ cells dividing uncontrollably. In some types of liver cancer, some parts of it begin to produce AFP instead of normal serum albumin, which leads to the formation of a tumor (along with an increase in alpha-fetoprotein in the blood test).

  • jaundice;
  • suspicion of liver or genital cancer.

Watch a video on this topic

How is the research done?

To determine the AFP level, a blood test taken from vein.

Preparation for analysis

The analysis is taken on an empty stomach, preferably in the morning.

If for some reason it is not possible to take the test in the morning, the patient should refrain from any food 8 hours (even better - 12) before the analysis.

You can only drink water.

Do not smoke for 30 minutes before analysis.

What can affect the result?

There are two possible reasons: gross non-observance of recommendations for donating blood and a laboratory assistant's mistake. But both things rarely happen: the chance of getting false results is about 5 percent.

Decoding the results

AFP rate

An AFP blood test usually gives a result expressed in units per milliliter(unit / ml).

The norm in men

  • birth - 1 month of life: less than 13,000 units / ml;
  • 1-12 months: less than 23 units / ml;
  • over a year: less than 7 U / ml (in some medical sources - less than 15 U / ml).

The norm in women (non-pregnant)

  • birth - 1 month of life: less than 16,000 units / ml;
  • 1-12 months: less than 64 units / ml;
  • over a year: less than 8 U / ml (in some medical sources - less than 15 U / ml).

Norm in women (pregnant)

In pregnant women, the norms are as follows:

  • 0 - 12 weeks: less than 15 units / ml;
  • 13 - 15 weeks: 15 - 60 units / ml;
  • 16 - 19 weeks: 15 - 100 units / ml;
  • 20 - 24 weeks: 25 - 125 units / ml;
  • 25 - 27 weeks: 50 - 140 units / ml;
  • 28 - 30 weeks: 65 - 150 units / ml;
  • 31 - 32 weeks: 100 - 250 units / ml.
After the 32nd week, AFP analysis does not give informative results, because the parameter begins to decrease, and this process is strictly individual.

Deviations from the norm

Before describing deviations one important remark needs to be made: The rate of alpha fetoprotein is a rather relative indicator. First, the rate depends on the external conditions in which a person lives: climate, air purity, sea level, and so on. Secondly, if the AFP is increased or decreased, this does not mean that there is a problem. In some people, this indicator is increased or decreased due to genetic characteristics. Third, normal AFP does not mean that there is no problem. In a small percentage of cases, liver cancer can develop with normal AFP levels. Conclusion: the analysis for alpha-fetoprotein should in no case be used as the main diagnostic tool.

Only with a comprehensive examination and a well-compiled anamnesis, the amount of AFP will indicate a pathology or exclude it.

Downgrade

Pregnant women

If the AFP indicator during pregnancy fell or did not rise to the desired level, then the fetus may have the following problems:

  • Down syndrome;
  • cystic drift;
  • developmental delay;
  • the threat of fetal loss;
  • false pregnancy.