The serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay in 14 primary liver cancers and 17 secondary liver cancers. With this method, unlike any previous one, AFP could be quantitated in a II the samples. The AFP levels in 10 of the 14 patients (71%) were one thousand times or more (3.5–840 µg/ml) above the normal serum level. Two sera had intermediate values (100 and 200 ng/ml) and 2 had normal AFP concentrations (9 and 16 ng/ml). A normal AFP level thus does not exclude the possibility of primary liver cancer. No correlation was found between the AFP level and the degree of malignancy of the tumor. Of the 17 patients with secondary liver cancer, 3 had an AFP concentration above the normal range. In these, the elevation was moderate, ranging from 60–400 ng/ml.
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Ruoslahti et al. (1972) studied this question.