TUMOR MARKERS

TUMOR MARKERS

biochemical indicators of the presence of tumor

Include cell-surface antigens ,cytoplasm protein, enzymes
,and hormones
usually refers to a molecule that can be detected in the
plasma or other body fluid
as a laboratory test to support the diagnosis
are also of value in determining the response to therapy
Markers Associated Cancer

Hormones
Human chorionic gonadotropin Trophoblastic tumors, nonseminomatous testicular tumors
Calcitonin Medullary carcinoma of thyroid
Catecholamine and metabolites Pheochromocytoma and related tumors
Ectopic hormones

Oncofetal Antigens
a-Fetoprotein Liver cell cancer, nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of testis
Carcinoembryonic antigen Carcinomas of the colon, pancreas, lung, stomach, and heart

Isoenzymes
Prostatic acid phosphatase Prostate cancer
Neuron-specific enolase Small cell cancer of lung, neuroblastoma

Specific Proteins
Immunoglobulins Multiple myeloma and other gammopathies
Prostate-specific antigen and
prostate-specific membrane antigen Prostate cancer

Mucins and Other Glycoproteins

CA-125 Ovarian cancer
CA-19-9 Colon cancer, pancreatic cancer
CA-15-3 Breast cancer

New Molecular Markers

p53, APC, RAS mutations in stool and serum Colon cancer
p53 and RAS mutations in stool and serum Pancreatic cancer
p53 and RAS mutations in sputum and serum Lung cancer
p53 mutations in urine Bladder cancer
 CEA
Produced in embryonic tissue of the gut, pancreas, and liver
Complex glycoprotein that is elaborated by many neoplasms.

Elevated CEA describe in other forms of cancer

CEA elevation have also been reported in many benign disorders, such as
Alcohol cirrhosis
Hepatitis,
Ulcerative colitis
Crohn disease

Preoperative CEA levels have some bearing on prognosis because the level of
elevation is correlated with body burden tumor.

Patients with CEA positive colon cancers, the presence of elevated CEA level
6 weeks after therapy indicates the residual disease
CEA

Rising CEA level indicates recurrence w/ an increase in tumor

marker level often preceding clinically detectable disease
Serum CEA is also useful in monitoring the treatment of metastatic
breast cancer
AFP

another well established tumor maker

This glycoprotein synthesize normally early in fetal life by the yolk

sac, fetal liver, and fetal gastrointestinal tract.

Elevated plasma AFP is also found less regularly in carcinomas of

the colon, lung, and the pancreas.

AFP level proved to be a useful indicator of hepatocellular

carcinomas and germ cell tumor of the testis
Serial post- therapy measurements of AFP (and human chorionic
gonodotropin) levels in patients with germ cell tumors of the testis
provide a sensitive index in response to therapy and recurrence
Other Tumor Markers

PSA (Prostate- specific antigen) and PSMA (prostate specific

membrane antigen are other widely used markers for prostate
cancers, human chorionic gonodotropin for testicular tumor
CA125 for ovarian tumors