Alpha-fetoprotein for gastric cancer staging: An essential or redundant tumor marker?

Chun Yi Tsai, Keng Hao Liu, Cheng Tang Chiu, Shun Wen Hsueh, Chia Yen Hung, Jun Te Hsu, Ngan Ming Tsang, Yu Shin Hung, Wen Chi Chou

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background/Aim: This study was designed to clarify the value of routine alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) testing for patients with gastric cancer (GC). Patients and Methods: A total of 905 patients with newly diagnosed GC and available pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer-related antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and AFP data from 2010 to 2016 were collected for comparison of tumor stage and survival. Results: In total, 139 patients (15.4%), 155 patients (17.1%), and 27 patients (3.0%) had elevated CEA, CA19-9, and AFP levels, respectively. The c-index values of elevated AFP levels in predicting stage IV disease and the 1-year mortality rate were 0.564 (95%CI=0.520-0.608) and 0.594 (95%CI=0.553-0.635), respectively, which were significantly lower than those of CEA (0.673 and 0.665) and CA19-9 (0.619 and 0.618). Conclusion: Elevated AFP is rare in patients with newly diagnosed GC. Routine AFP sampling would not provide a higher survival prediction in GC patients than CEA or CA19-9.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2711-2718
Number of pages8
JournalAnticancer Research
Volume41
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 05 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 International Institute of Anticancer Research. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • AFP
  • CA19-9
  • CEA
  • Cancer staging
  • Gastric cancer
  • Overall survival.

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