Evaluation of serum alpha fetoprotein-L3 as an accuracy novel biomarker for the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients.

Background: Most Hepatocellular Carcinomas (HCCs) are diagnosed at an advanced stage. However, HCC early diagnosis is complicated by the coexistence of inflammation and cirrhosis. The unsatisfactory sensitivity and specificity of Alpha-fetoprotien (AFP) for screening of early-stage HCC paved the way for new novel biomarkers to complement AFP such as AFP-L3.