AFP fraction L3 (hepatocellular carcinoma risk assessment)

AFP is a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 65-71 kDa. Synthesis AFP takes place in the liver, gastrointestinal tract and yolk sac of the yolk sac of the fetus. Studies on the chemical structure of alpha-fetoprotein revealed the presence of 3 isoforms, differing in the variation within the sugar chains forming the molecule of the compound, conditioning the AFP's affinity for lectins. The AFP fraction with high affinity for lectins has been abbreviated AFP-L3 and named the fucosylated variant of the alpha-fetoprotein. The AFP fucosylation index (defined as the percentage of AFP with high affinity for lectins in the total pool of AFP-L3% alpha-fetoprotein) is higher in patients with primary HCC hepatocellular carcinoma compared to patients with liver disease of non-cancerous etiology. The AFP-L3 fraction is also an indicator of tumor stage, including the presence of distant metastases, regardless of tumor size Additional determination of AFP-L3%, as well as DCP (des-gamma-carboxy-protrombin) in addition to AFP alone enables earlier detection of disease in patients with HCC.