Influence of chemotherapy or liver metastasis on the immunoelectrophoretic discrimination of alpha-fetoprotein from yolk sac tumor

The main purpose of this study was to determine whether chemotherapy or liver metastasis can interfere with the discrimination of: yolk sac tumor alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) from that of hepatocellular carcinoma. The AFP pattern in six cases of yolk sac tumor with or without liver metastasis was studied both during and after chemotherapy using affinity immunoelectrophoresis. Six cases of hepatocellular carcinoma which were matched by AFP level with yolk sac tumors were used for comparison. The pattern produced by yolk sac tumor consists of a prominent L2 band and a light L3 band. Hepatocellular carcinoma produced a prominent L1 band and a light L3 band. The presence or absence of liver metastasis did not affect the pattern from ovarian yolk sac tumor, nor did chemotherapy interfere with the ability to discriminate between patterns. Our findings indicate that using affinity immunoelectrophoresis, we are able to discriminate yolk sac tumor with or without liver metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma. This discrimination is not affected by the administration of chemotherapy.