A Rare Case of Recurrent Alpha-fetoprotein-producing Gastric Cancer without Re-elevation of Serum AFP
Year: 2006
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: We report an extremely rare case of recurrent alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric cancer without re-elevation of serum AFP. The patient was a 78-year-old woman with AFP-producing gastric cancer, a rare type of gastric adenocarcinoma. A Borrmann III gastric tumour was surgically resected and AFP-producing gastric cancer was diagnosed based on high levels of serum AFP (705.44 ng/ml) and immunohistochemical examination of the tumour. The serum AFP level decreased to the normal range after resection without any sign of recurrence by imaging, but the patient developed local recurrence of the cancer and died 13 months after surgery. No re-elevation of serum AFP levels was observed after recurrence. Although serum AFP levels are believed to be useful for follow-up in the post-operative period, the possibility that serum AFP levels do not always correlate with the extent of the cancer should be kept in mind.
Authors: K Tomiyama, M Takahashi, T Fujii, H Kunisue, Y Kanaya, S Maruyama, N Yokoyama, N Shimizu, M Soda
Institutions: Okayama University, Himeji St. Mary's Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1992467630