Hepatitis C in humans is a global public health problem that causes chronic viral hepatitis which 
progresses to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). HCC is the most frequent primary 
liver malignancy and the third cause of cancer-related deaths. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is the most 
practical and widely used serum biomarker for HCC diagnosis. This prospective study was carried out 
in the Clinical Pathology Department and department of Tropical medicine, Faculty of Medicine, ElMinia University Hospital. Subjects included 4 groups, divided as follows: group I included 25 
patients of HCV induced HCC, group II included 25 patients of HCV induced liver cirrhosis, group 
III included 25 patients of chronic HCV infection without HCC or liver cirrhosis, and group IV 
included 25 of apparent healthy volunteers as control. Methodology: AFP was performed by ELISA, 
and CD8+T lymphocyte expression was performed by flowcytometry. Results: AFP level was 
significantly increased in group I when compared with groups III and IV, while there was a nonsignificant difference comparing group I and II. Also, AFP was significantly increased in group II 
when compared to groups III and IV. CD8 % was significant up regulation in group I compared to 
group III and IV. While there was no significant difference between group I and II. In group II CD8% 
was significantly increased when compared to group IV, while this increase was non significant when 
compared to group III. Group III showed a significant increase in CD8 % when compared to group 
IV. Conclusion: frequency of CD8+T lymphocyte expression was upregulated in HCC, liver cirrhosis, 
and chronic HCV patients, as well as AFP level was increased in HCC and liver cirrhosis pateints.