Alpha-Fetoprotein-Producing Nonmetastatic Gastric Adenocarcinoma: A Rare Entity

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a plasma protein that is produced by the liver and the yolk sac during fetal development. In adults, an elevation in this protein can be exclusive to specific malignancies such as hepatocellular carcinoma, yolk sac tumors, and metastatic disease to the liver. In the clinical setting, an elevated AFP level and a liver mass (masses) translate to a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Gastric adenocarcinoma is an aggressive malignancy that has a poor prognosis and has a potential for early metastatic spread [1]. There have been some case reports in the literature that have described elevated AFP levels in gastric adenocarcinoma with metastasis to the liver and hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Here, we report an unusual case of nonmetastatic gastric adenocarcinoma with local compression on the liver and elevated AFP levels in a previously healthy woman.