It is fairly common for alpha-fetoprotein markers to be elevated in patients with hepatitis C. Alpha-fetoprotein is a marker for tumors, but unless your numbers are extremely high (for example, in the hundreds), there is no need for alarm. Your doctor will probably want to perform further studies, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, just to be on the safe side. In fact a recent study cautions that in anti-HCV positive patients, AFP level is not a good single reference for diagnosis of HCC. Anti-HCV positive patients should be routinely screened for HCC by image studies along with serum AFP level. Hepatogastroenterology 1999 Nov-Dec;46(30):3208-11
