Elevated AFP

[gelia]

   I am a 62-year old female.  In July-August, 1983, I had a very serious case of (what they now call) hepatitis C ( which they then termed  non-A, non-B hepatitis) for 6 weeks & was in the hospital for a week.  I've never been so sick.  So often websites say  that symptoms for hepatitis  C are  mild to moderate--this wasn't the case for me.  I worked in dentistry & caught it from a sick patient.  After I got well, the dr. did a scan & said my liver looked fine.
   Last October, my primary care  dr. sent me for regular blood tests, including an AFP test.  It came back at  15.3 (with normal being  0-10).  I had  a  CT scan & it was clear.  In Dec. I had another AFP blood test   & it came  back at 16.7.  I had a PET scan &  it came back clear.  In January I had  another AFP test, & it came back at 18.4  So, I had  an Ultrasound  & it came back clear.  Today I  got  the results of the latest  AFP & it is now  16.5.   All of my  doctors  are totally  stumped.  This  merry-go-round has  me  & my husband very upset  because our doctors just don't have any answers.  They say that my AFP shouldn't be elevated from hepatitis C  after all these years.  But, my gastroenterologist thinks I will develop liver  cancer, with time.  He has seen this before  & says  that the liver cancer tumors can take months  to years  to show up.  He had one patient whose AFP went  up slowly like mine, & after 5  yrs., she developed 3  tumors in  her liver  suddenly, all at once.
   Has  anyone had a similar  situation or  know  why  an AFP  would go up & down?     Incidentally, I feel fine & have not been ill, but I  do have pain most of the time in my right side  within  the ribcage area.
   I would really appreciaate hearing from anybody with any thoughts or knowledge about an elevated AFP.


This discussion is related to Alpha Fetoprotein questions....

[gelia]

   Fortunately, my HMO has never found the need to approve any blood test by  PCP  has ordered for me, so I  should be able to get the PCR.  However, I will keep in mind that if push comes to shove, I can ask for an antibody test to finally get some ACCURATE info!!  Thanks so much  for your very knowlegdeable input--it helps so much!

[Trinity4]

I agree with you GreatBird.  The antibody test is much cheaper and the HMO would be more likely to approve that over a PCR.  

I would use a antibody test first since geila does not know exactly what type of hepatitis she may have been exposed to or if it is viral hepatitis and she did state they do offer the antibody test according to her lab requisition.

[GreatBird]

My understanding is that a diagnosis of non-A non-B hepatitis simply meant someone had hepatitis that wasn't A or B. Now it is true that non-A non-B came to be known as hep C, but if you had other toxic exposure it's very possible you didn't have Hep A, B, or C.

All  you really need to do is have an antibody test to see if you ever had exposure for hep C. If that test comes back positive you can be further tested to see if you have the virus.

[gelia]

   WOW--what a great website!  I have only opened a couple of the topics & I can already tell this is going to be of tremendous help--THANKS SO MUCH!!

Gelia

[Bill1954]

Gelia,

I haven’t seen this mentioned in the thread yet; if you haven’t seen this, please take a look at the site “Janis and Friends’; I’ll link you to their page for newly diagnosed:

http://janis7hepc.com/have_you_been_just_diagnosed.htm

Scroll down that page, and be sure to review any topics of interest in the column in the right-hand side of the page titled ‘other HCV information’; this covers topics like biopsy, blood tests, fibrosis, etc.

This should make things much easier for you to understand… it helped me immensely when I was initially diagnosed.

Best to you—

Bill

[gelia]

   HI again!  I will take your  exact wording to my doctor.  Actually  the "Hep C Ab+" test that I mentioned to Trish hasn't been ordered...it's just a test that can be requested from the lab, as  can any of the ones I mentioned to her.  The only test actually requested on the lab slip I have right now is another AFP.
  You've  given me so much great  info & encouragement--thank you so much.  I'll let you know the outcome.  

Gelia