12 cancer screening tests India doctors recommend

5. Liver cancer screening: ultrasound plus AFP for high-risk people

Doctors recommend targeted liver cancer surveillance for people at high risk: those with chronic hepatitis B or C, known cirrhosis, or certain metabolic liver diseases. The typical approach is abdominal ultrasound every six months, sometimes combined with the blood test alpha‑fetoprotein (AFP) to improve detection. This surveillance is not for the general population but for people with clear risk factors. In India, abdominal ultrasound at a private facility may cost ₹800–3,000; AFP blood tests add a few hundred to a couple thousand rupees depending on the lab; public hospitals may offer lower rates or programme-based screening for hepatitis patients.