[Levels of serum alpha-fetoprotein before and after transcatheter embolization of hepatocellular tumors with Lipiodol].

Hepatocellular cancer is a common cancer in Africa and Asia, while slight increase has been recorded in Europe and USA during the last decade. In selected patients embolization with administration of Lipiodol and anticancer drugs can be used to reduce tumour mass. In this work the values of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) before, immediately after, and 7 and 30 days after embolization were analyzed in 20 patients with hepatocellular cancer. Values of AFP immediately after embolization were the same as before embolization, while 7 and 30 days later they were significantly lower (p < 0.05). In all patients values of AFP were higher 30 days after embolization compared to 7 days after embolization. Monitoring of serum AFP could be used as a complementary method with radiologic imaging methods in patients embolized for hepatocellular cancer.