Clinical significance of monitoring serum AFP of infants and children with solid tumors

Aim: To investigate the clinical significance of monitoring serum AFP in infants and children with solid tumors. Methods: The serum AFP levels were determined by immunoradiometric assay in 106 children with solid tumors, 24 newborn with jaundice (17 neonatal hepatitis and 7 biliary atresia), and 30 normal control children. Eighty percent of children with tumors were followed-up for 1 month to 7 years after operation. Results: AFP increased significantly in 78.6% of hepatoblastoma, 88.9% of yolk-sac tumor, 31 .6% of benign sacrococcygeal teratoma, 10% of Wilm's tumor, and all newborn with jaundice compared with that in controls ( P 0.02). The AFP decreased to normal within 2-6 weeks after removal of tumors. Conclusion: AFP is one of important reference for diagnosis and prognosis of pediatrie solid tumors, especially in hepatoblastoma and yolk sac tumor. However, it should be used carefully in diagnosing malignant tumor in newborns to avoid the false positive results.