Differential diagnosis of liver cancer

Are there any simple and reliable testing methods for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of liver cancer? Measuring alpha-fetoprotein in the patient's blood is a simple and reliable method for diagnosing liver cancer. So what are the methods for differential diagnosis of liver cancer? Let's learn about it together.

Alpha-fetoprotein is a protein produced during the fetal period, which disappears completely one week after birth. However, when liver cells become cancerous, they regain the ability to produce this protein. Therefore, in addition to pregnant women and newborns, this protein can only be detected in primary liver cancer and a few patients with embryonic carcinoma of the testicles and ovaries.
Among the current methods for measuring alpha-fetoprotein, agar diffusion method and countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis are the most reliable. If alpha-fetoprotein is positive with these two methods and the positive result lasts for more than two weeks, and testicular and ovarian embryonal carcinomas can be ruled out, the diagnosis of liver cancer can be established.
What diseases does liver cancer often need to be differentiated from? In addition, liver cancer generally refers to primary liver cancer, which should be differentiated from secondary liver cancer, benign liver tumors, liver abscesses, cirrhosis and certain diseases other than liver.