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Liver function tests (LFTs or LFs), also referred to as a hepatic panel or liver panel, are groups of blood tests that provide information about the state of a patient's liver. [1] These tests include prothrombin time (PT/INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), albumin , bilirubin (direct and indirect), and others.
Consequently, CEA is usually present at very low levels in the blood of healthy adults (about 2–4 ng/mL). [2] However, the serum levels are raised in some types of cancer, which means that it can be used as a tumor marker in clinical tests. Serum levels can also be elevated in heavy smokers. [3]
No screening test is wholly specific, and a high level of tumor marker can still be found in benign tumors. The only tumor marker currently used in screening is PSA (prostate-specific antigen). Diagnostics; Tumor markers alone can't be used for diagnostic purposes, due to lack of sensitivity and specificity. [5]
Tumor markers, chemicals sometimes found in the blood of people with cancer, can be helpful in diagnosing and monitoring the course of liver cancers. High levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the blood can be found in many cases of HCC and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
This tumor marker can be detected in the blood, saliva, or urine. [17] The possibility of identifying an effective biomarker for early cancer diagnosis has recently been questioned, in light of the high molecular heterogeneity of tumors observed by next-generation sequencing studies.
The L3 isoform is specific to malignant tumors and its detected presence can serve to identify patients whom need increased monitoring for the development of HCC in high risk populations (i.e. chronic hepatitis B and C and/or liver cirrhosis). AFP-L3% is now being considered as a tumor marker for the North American demographic.
However, the AFP test is not usually sensitive enough to detect liver cancer in time and it often generates false positives. So far, the blood samples of more than 1,000 patients with various stages of liver and non-liver disease have been tested for the presence of GP73 in several studies.
Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Staging System. The prognosis of HCC is affected by the staging of the tumor, the liver's function due to the effects of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis as well as the person's physical performance status. [48] A number of staging classifications for HCC are available.
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