Glad your imaging studies are clear! Thanks for sharing that info. ~eureka
I have cirrhosis and I've seen my AFP rise from 15 to 230 in less than 3 years. Still no signs of any tumors on imaging studies.
Thanks for sharing that info about your Mom -- it definitely helped my husband to think about the good possibilities more, as well as the bad. It's been really tough on him -- this added news on top of tx brain-fog is really doing a job on his focus and concentration! And I'm going with you on that one: I really hope you're right and it's just another big fat crazy 'blip'. Big hugs to you. ~eureka
Hey Eureka I am SO glad that it was just a strange false positive like I had after treatment. That is such great great great news. I don't know much about AFP but my mom has had elevated AFP for many years (20 or so) and undergone every test known to man with no results. Then about two years ago it just went down to normal out of nowhere. I'm just going to go with the fact that you're going to get lucky again and like that first 'blip' it will go down too :)
Yes, AFP L3 is what Vernon's doctor tested after regular AFP was so high. He said that patients with chronic hepatitis often have elevated AFP, because liver cells die and regenerate constantly.
I understand that you are very concerned. I hope that everything will turn out well. Please, keep us posted.
tashka:
It's encouraging to know that high fluctuations do happen to people here even in the absence of tumor. I did ask his nurse about additional blood testing (AFP L3 and DCP), but she deferred me to wait until we meet with the doc next Thursday. CT Scan is now scheduled for Tuesday coming, and while I'm certainly hopeful and expectant for a good outcome, I'm also preparing myself for all the possibilities -- including the reality that even the CT Scan may be inconclusive. Thanks for your response.
copyman:
What you say is very true -- my husband's 2007 hcc was detected because his AFP was >2000, so it was a straighforward diagnosis. The disturbing flip side is that 30% of the time hcc's don't impact AFP -- yet another insidious trait of this nasty virus. Really glad you're free of it...! Appreciate your good wishes.
I have read liver cancer AFP is usually very high. I think I read if it is around the 500 range.
Also I have read where cirrhosis and even just having HCV can cause it to rise.
Wishing your husband the best.
My husband recently had AFP of 90. It is lower than yours, but still high. His CT scan was clear, and a month later AFP went down to 50. He is not on treatment.
Also the doctor tested some specific fraction of AFP, which specifically points to liver cancer. It was normal.
I wish everything will be OK with your husband. Hopefully, it is just a fluctuation.