{"entity":{"id":"afp","kind":"term","name":"Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)","aka":[],"tldr":"Alpha-fetoprotein is a protein made by the fetal liver that a substantial share of hepatocellular carcinomas switch back on. It is measured in blood alongside ultrasound for surveillance, for prognosis, and to select patients for ramucirumab, but it also rises in hepatitis flares and germ-cell tumours.","summary":"Alpha-fetoprotein is a protein normally made by the fetal liver that a substantial share of hepatocellular carcinomas switch back on, and it is measured in blood for screening, prognosis and treatment selection. It is raised in a substantial share of HCC, and a level of 400 ng/mL or more marks aggressive biology and is the eligibility criterion for ramucirumab, established in REACH-2. AFP also enters transplant selection through the AFP model and the GALAD score, and it is paired with ultrasound in six-monthly HCC surveillance of people with cirrhosis. It is not specific: levels rise in hepatitis flares and in germ-cell tumours and hepatoblastoma. The term is linked from the early-detection bottleneck and the idea of blood-based HCC surveillance.","asOf":"2026-09-07","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha-fetoprotein","links":[{"label":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha-fetoprotein"}],"tags":[],"related":[],"cancers":["hcc"],"sections":[],"technologies":["hcc-surveillance"],"targets":[],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":[],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"category":"Biomarkers"},"route":"/terms/afp/","neighbours":{"cancer":[{"id":"hcc-advanced","kind":"cancer","name":"Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (BCLC C)","route":"/cancers/hcc-advanced/"},{"id":"cns-germ-cell-tumours","kind":"cancer","name":"Central nervous system germ cell tumours (germinoma and non-germinomatous)","route":"/cancers/cns-germ-cell-tumours/"},{"id":"hcc-early","kind":"cancer","name":"Early hepatocellular carcinoma (BCLC 0 and A)","route":"/cancers/hcc-early/"},{"id":"embryonal-carcinoma-testis","kind":"cancer","name":"Embryonal carcinoma of the testis","route":"/cancers/embryonal-carcinoma-testis/"},{"id":"extragonadal-germ-cell-tumour","kind":"cancer","name":"Extragonadal germ cell tumour","route":"/cancers/extragonadal-germ-cell-tumour/"},{"id":"paediatric-germ-cell-tumours","kind":"cancer","name":"Germ cell tumours of childhood and adolescence (extracranial and CNS)","route":"/cancers/paediatric-germ-cell-tumours/"},{"id":"hepatoblastoma","kind":"cancer","name":"Hepatoblastoma","route":"/cancers/hepatoblastoma/"},{"id":"hcc","kind":"cancer","name":"Hepatocellular carcinoma","route":"/cancers/hcc/"},{"id":"mediastinal-germ-cell-tumour","kind":"cancer","name":"Mediastinal germ cell tumour","route":"/cancers/mediastinal-germ-cell-tumour/"},{"id":"retroperitoneal-germ-cell-tumour","kind":"cancer","name":"Retroperitoneal germ cell tumour","route":"/cancers/retroperitoneal-germ-cell-tumour/"},{"id":"testicular","kind":"cancer","name":"Testicular germ cell tumours","route":"/cancers/testicular/"},{"id":"yolk-sac-tumour-postpubertal","kind":"cancer","name":"Yolk sac tumour of the testis, postpubertal type","route":"/cancers/yolk-sac-tumour-postpubertal/"}],"technology":[{"id":"germ-cell-tumour-markers","kind":"technology","name":"AFP, hCG and LDH in germ cell tumours (IGCCCG risk groups)","route":"/technologies/germ-cell-tumour-markers/"},{"id":"hcc-surveillance","kind":"technology","name":"HCC surveillance in cirrhosis (ultrasound + AFP)","route":"/technologies/hcc-surveillance/"},{"id":"serum-tumour-markers","kind":"technology","name":"Serum tumour markers: proper use and misuse","route":"/technologies/serum-tumour-markers/"}],"drug":[{"id":"ramucirumab","kind":"drug","name":"Ramucirumab","route":"/drugs/ramucirumab/"}],"idea":[{"id":"idea-hcc-blood-surveillance","kind":"idea","name":"Blood-based HCC surveillance to replace six-monthly ultrasound","route":"/ideas/idea-hcc-blood-surveillance/"}],"bottleneck":[{"id":"b-early-detection","kind":"bottleneck","name":"The hardest cancers are found late","route":"/bottlenecks/b-early-detection/"}],"term":[{"id":"li-rads","kind":"term","name":"LI-RADS (Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System)","route":"/terms/li-rads/"},{"id":"pretext-chic","kind":"term","name":"PRETEXT and CHIC risk groups (hepatoblastoma)","route":"/terms/pretext-chic/"}]}}