Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma related a-Fetoprotein elevation in a patient with HBV-related cirrhosis

HCC is the most common type of primary liver tumor. The Prac- tice Guideline, AASLD, for HCC recommended surveillance of HBV carriers at high risk of HCC with US every 6-12 months. Laboratory surveillance option is the measurement of serum a-fetoprotein level which has long been used for the diagnosis of HCC. But, increased serum levels of a-fetoprotein are also seen in acute hepatitis, cirrhosis, and malignancies include yolk sac carci- noma, neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma, gastric and lung carcino- ma. Because of elevation a-fetoprotein in these malignancies, liver mass with an elevated a-fetoprotein does not directly indicate HCC. For these reason, clinicians evaluating patient with liver mass and HBV-related cirrhosis should be vigilant for other case of a-fetoprotein elevation. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2015, 78, 441- 442).