Table 1 Comparison of demographic and tumour marker data for the raised-AFP and control groups demonstrating the two groups to be evenly matched for age, gender, and diagnosis

From: α-Fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotrophin-β as prognostic markers in neuroendocrine tumour patients

 

High AFP

Control

P -value (Mann–Whitney U -test)

Age at diagnosis

51

48

0.597

Sex (M/F)

15/13

18/22

0.495

Diagnosis

 Metastatic NET (of unknown primary)

9

13

 

 Pancreatic NET

11

16

 

 Gastrinoma

1

2

 

 Bronchial

2

4

 

 Midgut NET

1

3

 

 Hindgut NET

1

0

 

 MTC

1

1

 

 Thymic NET

1

1

 

 Pelvic NET

1

0

 

Mean AFP (0–11.3 ng ml−1)

273.8

3.5

0.001

Mean hCGβ (<2.5 mIU ml−1)

21.3

1.6

0.001

Mean CgA (0–60 U l−1)

423

113

0.002

Mean Ki-67 (MIB-1)

21

10

0.009

Mean survival (months)

37.6

69

0.001

Stage IV disease (WHO classification)

24 of 28 (86%)

25 of 40 (63%)

0.037

  1. AFP=α-fetoprotein; hCGβ=human chorionic gonadotrophin-β ; NET=neuroendocrine tumour.
  2. Significant differences between the two groups are apparent for the expression of tumour markers AFP, hCGβ, CgA, Ki-67 score, and survival from the time of diagnosis.
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