Search results
Learn how an AFP tumor marker test can help diagnose and monitor liver disease, some types of cancer, or pregnancy. Find out what the normal and abnormal levels of AFP are and how they can vary depending on your situation.
People also ask
What can an AFP tumor marker test Tell Me?
What is an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) tumor marker test?
What is tumor marker and what do the numbers mean?
Jun 7, 2023 · AFP is a protein that can indicate certain cancers and liver diseases. Learn how AFP testing is performed, what the normal range is and how to interpret the results.
- What Is An Alpha-Fetoprotein Test?
- When Is The AFP Test Performed in pregnancy?
- What Does The AFP Test Check for?
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
The alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test is a blood test for pregnant people. Healthcare providers use the AFP test to check a fetus’s risks of birth defects or genetic conditions. The AFP test measures alpha-fetoprotein levels. Alpha-fetoprotein is a protein that develops in the liver of a fetus. Irregular AFP levels in pregnant people can be a sign of a ...
Pregnant people typically have the AFP test between 16 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. All pregnant people should get the AFP test, but your healthcare provider may especially recommend it if you: 1. Are older than 35. 2. Have a family history of birth defects. 3. Have diabetes.
The test may detect: 1. Genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome or Turner syndrome. 2. Incorrect due dates. 3. Multiples, such as twins or triplets. 4. Neural tube defects, such as spina bifida or anencephaly.
AFP test measures alpha-fetoprotein levels in blood. It can help diagnose genetic disorders or neural tube defects in fetuses, or liver or ovarian cancer in adults. Learn about the procedure, results and follow-up of AFP test.
Aug 23, 2022 · An AFP tumor marker test measures the level of AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) in your blood. It's used to help diagnose and monitor certain cancers of the liver, ovaries, or testicles that make high levels of AFP.
AFP is a protein normally made by a fetus's liver and yolk sac. It is one of several tumor markers that can be higher in adults with certain cancers, especially liver cancer and testicular cancer. Learn how to prepare for this test, what the results mean, and what other tests may be done.
- If your healthcare provider suspects you have liver cancer, you may also have: 1. Liver function tests, or LFTs. These tests look at the part of yo...
- Test results may vary depending on your age, gender, health history, the method used for the test, and other things. Your test results may not mean...
- Having a blood test with a needle carries some risks. These include bleeding, infection, bruising, and feeling lightheaded. When the needle pricks...
- If you are pregnant, your serum AFP level may be higher than normal. If you have hepatitis or cirrhosis, your AFP level may also be elevated. If yo...
Apr 4, 2019 · AFP is a protein that some tumors, especially liver and germ cell cancers, secrete into the blood. An AFP test can help detect and monitor these cancers, but it is not perfect and requires other tests for confirmation.
May 1, 2024 · Human α-fetoprotein (AFP) is a tumor-associated fetal mammalian glycoprotein involved in ontogenic and oncogenic growth. This tumor marker is encoded by the AFP gene on chromosome 4q25. The fetal protein is a 70-kDa single polypeptide chain containing 3% to 5% carbohydrate.
