Used for monitoring disease status. Markers are blood
tests that are drawn periodically throughout your treatment to see if the
treatments are working. They are repeated after therapy is completed at
follow-up visits, to determine if your disease is stable or under
control. Any fluctuation or change in tumor marker results will be
analyzed with other tests, as tumor markers are not 100% accurate. Together
they can provide information that your doctor can use to evaluate the status
of your disease. Now there is not a tumor marker specific for
all malignancies. Here are some of or most of the tumor markers
known.
Cea-commonly for colon, breast, lung, rectal and
pancreatic
Ca-15-3- commonly know as the breast cancer
antigen
CA19-9 Commonly used primarily for those with cancers
of the colon or rectum. May be useful for some pancreatic and stomach
cancers.
CA-125 Antigen has been shown to be elevated in some
patients who have Ovarian cancer
PSA Antigen
in the presence of those that indicate Prostate tumor cells
g-HCG
(beta human chorionic Gonadotropin) is a very specific and sensitive test
used to diagnos and monito choriocarcinoma, hydatiform moles and some
testicular cancers
AFP (Alpha FetoProtein) to monitor certain liver
cancers and with the b-HCG used to help diagnose and monitor some testicular
cancers
