Calbiotech AFP Elisa Kit

About Calbiotech AFP Elisa Kit

SUMMARY AND EXPLANATION

Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is a glycoprotein with a molecular weigh of approximately 70,000 Daltons. AFP is

normally produced during fetal and neonatal development by the liver, yolksac, and in small concentrations

by the gastrointestinal tract. After birth, serum AFP concentrations decrease rapidly, and by the second

year of life and thereafter only trace amounts are normally detected in serum.

Elevation of serum AFP to abnormally high values occurs in several malignant diseases, most notably

nonseminomatous testicular cancer and primary hepatocellular carcinoma. In the case of

nonseminomatous testicular cancer, a direct relationship has been observed between the incidence of

elevated AFP levels and the stage of disease. Elevated AFP levels have also been observed in patients

diagnosed with seminoma with nonseminomatous elements, but not in patients with pure seminoma.

In addition, elevated serum AFP concentrations have been measured in patients with other noncancerous

diseases, including ataxia telangiectasia, hereditary tyrosinemia, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, acute viral

hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, and cirrhosis. Elevated serum AFP concentrations are also observed in

pregnant women. Therefore, AFP measurements are not recommended for use as a screening procedure

to detect the presence of cancer in the general population.