What is the tumor biomarker associated with hepatocellular cancer?

The tumor biomarker associated with hepatocellular cancer is alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). AFP is a glycoprotein that is typically produced by the fetal liver, yolk sac, and gastrointestinal tract. In adults, elevated levels of AFP can indicate the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, particularly in individuals who have underlying liver disease, such as cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis.

AFP is not only useful for diagnosis but can also be used to monitor treatment response and check for recurrence of liver cancer after treatment. This relevance to hepatocellular cancer gives AFP a prominent role in clinical practice when managing patients suspected of having liver malignancies.

Other markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen 125 (CA-125), are associated with other types of cancers and are not specific to liver cancer. CEA is most commonly involved in colorectal and other gastrointestinal cancers, while CA-125 is primarily used as a marker for ovarian cancer. HER-2 is associated with breast cancer and some other types of tumors, indicating its lack of relevance to hepatocellular cancer.