摘要：

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a normal alpha 1 globulin of human fetal serum, disappears from the circulation in the perinatal period. It is detected by micro double diffusion in agar gel, using specifically prepared and absorbed rabbit antiserum to human fetal serum. AFP is present in a high percentage of serum from African and Far Eastern patients with primary hepatoma and, in this study, in 42 per cent of patients with that disease in the United States of America. Of the serum samples from patients with metastatic germinal cell tumors of the testis 24 per cent contained AFP, and in this disease detection of AFP seems to be related to the extent of metastasis. Occurrence of AFP appears to be more frequent in teratocarcinoma (60 per cent) than in embryonal cell carcinoma (27 per cent). It is concluded that detection of AFP in serum is a useful diagnostic test when these tumors are suspected and that it also may serve as a useful adjunct in follow-up of some patients being treated for germinal cell carcinomas of the testis or ovary.

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