alpha fetoprotein as a differential marker between bladder cancer and schistosomiasis among egyptian patients

• DOI: 10.12816/ejhm.2008.17653
• Publication Date: 2008-01-01
• Authors: Khalid H; Ayman M. Metwally; Maghraby A.S; Samia A. Ahmed
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine

Introduction: Schistosomiasis is considered as a widespread problem that affects Egyptians at different ages (WHO, 1993). It is well known that the high incidence of bladder carcinoma in schistosomal patients also represents a great risk to Egyptian society. Objective: This study represents a survey on the changes which took place in Alpha- Fetoprotein (AFP) levels as a differential marker among Egyptian patients suffering from urinary bilharzial infection and bladder cancer. Methodology: A partial study was carried out on four post-operative patients and followed up for sixty three days after chemotherapeutic treatment using immunoenzymatic mediated assay. Results: It was found that bladder cancer leads to obvious significant increase in AFP levels, while schistosomal infection causes a non-significant decrease as compared to healthy control. Although the combination between schistosomal infection and cancer leads to a significant decrease in AFP level compared to non bilharzial cancer cases, there was no significant correlation with healthy cases. Conclusion: It should be pointed out that the somewhat constant level of AFP in the sera of all patients was due to chemotherapeutic treatment. Also, it can be noticed that there is a significant positive correlation with progress of cancer grades.