The value of tumour marker kinetics in the management of patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma

Serum alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) has been measured during chemotherapy of ten patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Whenever the AFP concentration of a sample was lower than that of the previous sample the apparent half‐life (AHL) of the protein was calculated. The biological half‐life of AFP is 5 days so that values in excess of this were indicative of continuing or increased synthesis and secretion of AFP. The AHL for AFP provided a means of assessing efficacy of treatment. Increases in AHL generally predicted a rise in serum AFP and give advance warning of the need to change therapy.