OnCo
termsTerm

Tumour markers (CEA, LDH, chromogranin, thyroglobulin)

aka tumour marker, tumor marker, tumor markers, serum markers, CEA, LDH, chromogranin, thyroglobulin, calcitonin, beta-hCG, hCG, 5-HIAA, NSE, CA 15-3, CA 72-4

Substances released into the blood by some cancers that can be measured with a simple test, useful for tracking whether treatment is working or the cancer is coming back, but rarely good enough to diagnose or screen.

CEA is followed after colorectal cancer surgery and in monitoring metastatic disease. LDH is prognostic in melanoma, lymphoma (part of the IPI) and germ cell tumours; AFP and hCG diagnose and stage testicular cancer; chromogranin A and 5-HIAA track neuroendocrine tumours; thyroglobulin monitors differentiated thyroid cancer after thyroidectomy and calcitonin monitors medullary thyroid cancer; PSA, CA-125 and CA 19-9 have their own entries. Markers rise in benign conditions too, so they are interpreted as trends alongside imaging; ctDNA is increasingly the more specific alternative.

Category
Pathology & biomarkers

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