AFP (Alpha Feto Protein)
AFP (Alpha Feto Protein)
- A blood test to diagnose liver cancer
- Also used to diagnose Down Syndrome in pregnancy
- No special preparation is required.
What is an AFP Test?
Alpha Fetoprotein or AFP is a type of protein which is present in patients with liver disease. Presence of excess amount of AFP in the blood means the patient might be having liver cancer. However, there are times when the AFP levels are raised but that is due to an active liver disease rather than cancer.
These days doctors are also advising AFP test for diagnosing Down Syndrome. This is done between 15 to 18 weeks of pregnancy.
Reported Parameters
-
AFP – ………ng/L
- Normal Range for AFP – 0 ng/L to 40 ng/L
All The Questions that you might have
- What is AFP Test ?
- What does the AFP test measure?
- Why should I do the AFP test?
- How is the AFP test done?
AFP test is a blood test that detects the presence of protein called Alpha Fetoprotein. Normal range of AFP in blood is 0-40 ng/L. If the levels of AFP are raised then it may indicate an active liver disease which can be hepatitis, cirrhosis or even liver cancer. AFP levels of more than 400 ng/L indicates that the person is suffering from Liver Cancer or Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
AFP Test measures the levels of Alpha Fetoprotein in the blood. Excess AFP levels may be due to an active liver disease. It is advisable to consult a doctor for the proper interpretation of the report.
AFP test is of great value to patients who are known case of active liver disease like hepatitis, fatty liver, cirrhosis or liver cancer. This is an advanced test and should be done only on the advise of a doctor. The doctor will evaluate you and if she/he feels that you may be suffering from some type of liver disease then he might advise the AFP test along with some other tests to diagnose the condition.
The LFT test is a simple blood test with no need for fasting before the test. The blood sample can be taken by the phlebotomist at a pathology lab or at home. At Maurya Labs, Purnea the test is done on Fully Automatic machines. The sample collection takes less than a minute.
