Alpha-fetoprotein for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis: the demise of a brilliant star.

摘要

Until recently, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was considered a geographically restricted cancer that affected specific regions of the world where a combination of viral infections, aflatoxin intake and alcohol consumption are highly prevalent. This has changed: HCC has a higher prevalence in South Bast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, but its incidence has increased significantly in Europe and America, where the main risk factors are hepatitis C virus infection, alcoholism, and the metabolic syndrome. Indeed, several studies have shown that HCC is now the leading cause of death in cirrhotic patients; hence, it has become a major problem in this at-risk population.