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 language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2711-2718 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Anticancer Research |
Volume | 41 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 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.