Alpha feto-proteins in lymphomas and leukemias

ABSTRACT

Serum AFP was determined by the quantitative enzyme immunoassay method in a heterogenous group of lymphoma and leukemia. Irrespective of age, type of therapy and whether or not hepatic involvement was present all the cases had their figures well within the normal limits. The findings indicate that. 1. The lymphoreticulo endothelial and myeloid systems have no potentialities for AFP production. 2. AFP has no place in detection of hepatic involvement in malignancies of these systems and other methods must be sought for this purpose. 3. The specificity of liver injury conductive to AFP is stressed and elevation of AFP in cases carrying a hepatic cancer potential should tip the balance to the exclusion of lymphoproliferature malignancy and leukemia