Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Alpha-fetoprotein levels in dogs with liver cancer
By Kitao, Satoshi et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2006·Dobutsu Medical Center, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Alpha-fetoprotein in serum and tumor tissues in dogs with hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old mixed-breed dog was diagnosed with liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) and had high levels of a protein called alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in its blood. After the dog underwent surgery to remove the tumors, the AFP levels dropped back to normal within one to two months. In three of the four dogs studied, AFP was also found in the tumor tissues, indicating its connection to the cancer. This suggests that monitoring AFP levels can help track the effectiveness of treatment in dogs with liver cancer.
People also search for: dog liver cancer treatment · high alpha-fetoprotein in dogs · dog surgery for liver tumor
Abstract
Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentrations were measured before and after surgical removal of tumor masses in four dogs with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Localization of AFP was also examined immunohistochemically in tumor tissues. In three cases, the serum AFP concentration was 10 to 20 times higher than that of normal dogs. One to two months after surgery, the serum AFP concentration had decreased to normal range. AFP was localized in the tumor tissues in these three cases. One case, which had a low serum AFP, did not show AFP localization in tumor tissue.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16789721/