Half-life of alpha-fetoprotein in patients with a teratoma, endodermal sinus tumor, or hepatoblastoma.

To evaluate the AFP-concentration postoperatively and/or during chemotherapy treatment, a retrospective study was carried out on 14 patients with a teratoma, endodermal sinus tumor (EST), or hepatoblastoma. Eleven patients were operated. Eight of the 11 patients showed postoperatively a linear decline in their AFP concentration. The half-life was about 6 days. In the group of patients that underwent a noncomplete resection, both a linear and a nonlinear declining pattern was seen. The patients that underwent a complete resection showed only a linear decline in the AFP concentration. No relationship was found between the reduction pattern of the AFP and the development of recurrences. The development of a recurrence was accompanied by an increasing AFP concentration.