Alpha-fetoprotein screening is a blood test that checks the level of alpha-fetoprotein in the mothers' blood during pregnancy. It is found in the fluid surrounding the baby in the womb amniotic fluid. AFP goes through the placenta into the mother's blood. You may have an AFP test as 1 part of a 2-, 3-, or 4-part screening.
This is sometimes called a multiple marker screen. The other parts of the test may check for:. According to the American Pregnancy Association , results are abnormal for 25 to 50 pregnant women out of every 1, pregnant women given an AFP test.
However, only between 1 in 16 and 1 in 33 women who have abnormal results will actually have a baby with a birth defect. It only indicates that more tests are necessary for your doctor to make a diagnosis. Your doctor may perform another AFP test followed by an ultrasound to record images of your unborn child. Your doctor may order a more invasive test, such as an amniocentesis , if your results are still abnormal. In amniocentesis, your doctor uses a needle to withdraw a small amount of amniotic fluid from around the fetus for analysis.
During pregnancy, a sequential screening is a series of tests to check for neural tube defects and genetic abnormalities. The triple marker screen test analyzes how likely an unborn baby is to have certain genetic disorders. It is also known as a multiple marker test. The quad screen is an optional prenatal test given between week 15 and week 22 of pregnancy to determine risk of Down syndrome, trisomy 18, neural…. The double marker test is part of a more comprehensive screening called the first trimester screening.
Its results show a probability of chromosomal…. Research on whether talcum powder causes cancer is mixed, with some studies demonstrating only a small increase in risk of certain cancers. Learn more. Galleri is a new blood test that has the ability to detect 50 types of cancer through a single blood draw.
Select U. How can antibiotics work against cancer? The test may also be used to help monitor the effectiveness of cancer treatment and to see if cancer has returned after you've finished treatment. If you were diagnosed with liver cancer, this test may also be used to help figure out the best treatment you. Certain types of liver cancer related to high AFP levels may be treated with targeted therapy.
Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells. This therapy may be more effective and cause fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. Your provider may order an AFP test to help confirm or rule out the results of other tests.
You may also need this test if you are currently being treated for one of these cancers, or recently completed treatment. The test can help your provider see if your treatment is working or if your cancer has come back after treatment.
In addition, you may need this test if you have a noncancerous liver disease. Certain liver diseases can put you at a higher risk of getting liver cancer. A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial.
You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes. There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly. If your results show high levels of AFP, it may confirm a diagnosis of liver cancer, or cancer of the ovaries or testicles. Sometimes, high levels of AFP can be a sign of other cancers, including Hodgkin disease and lymphoma , or noncancerous liver disorders.
If you are being treated for cancer, you may be tested several times throughout your treatment. After repeated tests, your results may show:. Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results. You may have heard of another type of AFP test that is given to some pregnant women.
It is used to check for the risk of certain birth defects and has nothing to do with cancer or liver disease.
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