Korea Study Lifts Liver Cancer Detection to 77% With 7 ng/mL AFP Threshold
Updated
Updated · KBR · Jul 27
Korea Study Lifts Liver Cancer Detection to 77% With 7 ng/mL AFP Threshold
3 articles · Updated · KBR · Jul 27
Summary
An 820,380-person analysis of Korea’s 2018–2020 national screening data found broader AFP use could sharply improve early hepatocellular carcinoma detection in high-risk adults.
Ultrasound alone detected about 44 of every 100 HCC cases, while the current ultrasound-plus-AFP algorithm found only 45 to 47, showing little gain from AFP’s limited role.
Using elevated AFP to trigger follow-up even when ultrasound looked normal raised detection to about 77 of 100 cases at 7 ng/mL and 63 at 20 ng/mL.
Researchers said AFP should complement—not replace—ultrasound, because hepatitis, cirrhosis and other liver disease can also raise AFP and increase unnecessary follow-up testing.
The findings, published in the Journal of Korean Medical Science, challenge Korea’s current screening assessment for people 40 and older with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B or C.