The Spectrum of Histopathological Lesions Presenting as a Hepatic Nodule and Their Relationship With Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein Level
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objectives Hepatic mass lesions encompass a broad spectrum of neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions. While liver biopsy remains the gold standard for definitive diagnosis, serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) remains widely used as a biomarker, particularly in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim is to evaluate the histopathological spectrum of liver nodules and correlate these findings with pre-procedural serum AFP levels. Material and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 52 patients with radiologically proven liver masses attending a tertiary care hospital in South Karnataka. All patients underwent liver biopsy, and histopathological diagnoses were analysed in relation to pre-procedural serum AFP levels. Results Neoplastic lesions accounted for 88.5% of cases, with HCC (50.0%) as the most frequent malignancy, followed by metastatic adenocarcinoma (26.9%). The cohort was predominantly male (69.2%), with a mean age of 59.3 years. Abdominal pain was the most common presentation (46.2%). Elevated AFP (>20 ng/mL) was observed in 73.1% of HCC cases, compared to 14.3% of metastatic adenocarcinomas ( p = 0.001). AFP demonstrated 73.1% sensitivity, 83.3% specificity, and 73.6% accuracy for distinguishing HCC from non-neoplastic lesions. Conclusion Liver biopsy is essential for definitive evaluation of hepatic mass lesions, while elevated AFP levels correlate strongly with HCC but lack sensitivity. Despite this limitation, AFP remains clinically valuable as a cost-effective diagnostic tool in resource-limited settings.
Institutions: K S Hegde Medical Academy, Dr. Lal PathLabs Pvt Ltd (India)
Language: English
Subfield: Hepatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7163386366