A proband with persistently elevated AFP levels ranging between 21-129 ng/ml with median of 90 ng/ml has been found and observed for 1 year. Family studies have revealed that his father had had persistent AFP elevation for 4 years, ranging from 46 to 198.2 ng/ml, with median level of 93 ng/ml. His brother also has elevated AFP level. However, his mother, paternal uncle and paternal aunt have normal AFP level. Clinical examinations and laboratory tests have shown that AFP elevations are not associated with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatitis, or other malignancies. We believe that such AFP persistency is of hereditary nature. To our knowledge, this is the first family of hereditary AFP persistence reported in China and the fourth one reported in the world literature.
