American Board of Pathology (ABPath) Practice Test

Question: 1 / 400

Elevated AFP (Alpha-fetoprotein) levels can indicate which type of tumor in adults?

Breast cancer

Liver cancer

Elevated levels of Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) are most commonly associated with liver cancer, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma. AFP is a protein that is typically produced by the fetal liver, and its levels rise in certain malignancies. In adults, significantly increased AFP levels are indicative of liver pathology, especially in the context of cirrhosis or hepatitis, which are significant risk factors for developing liver cancer.

In contrast, while AFP can also be elevated in germ cell tumors such as teratomas or seminomas, these scenarios are less frequent in adults compared to its elevation in hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, the presence of elevated AFP is most classically correlated with liver cancer diagnosis during adult life. This specificity makes it a crucial biomarker in the diagnosis and management of liver malignancy.

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Seminoma

Teratoma

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