Serum ferritin level after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Correlation with alpha-fetoprotein level

Total serum ferritin concentrations were serially estimated in 24 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for 4 to 8 weeks after resection of the tumor. The patients were divided into four groups according to the tumor size and the result of ferritin was compared with that of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. All patients had underlying parenchymal diseases of the liver (liver cirrhosis in 19 and chronic hepatitis in 5 cases). The serum ferritin levels did not reflect the therapeutic result of hepatic resection in most of the patients of all groups. Serum AFP levels, which were measured simultaneously with ferritin levels, were much superior to the ferritin estimation. The current study may indicate that ferritin cannot be used as a tumor marker in the follow-up of Japanese patients with HCC and associated liver disease. Acidic isoferritin, which is known to be produced in and secreted from HCC, should be measured for this purpose.