Tumor Marker Test
Tumor Marker Test
Introduction
Biomarkers serve as indicators to measure the presence and / or severity of medical conditions. It looks for biochemical, cellular or molecular-level changes in your tissues and cells. The changes I detects indicate pathogenic or biological responses to therapeutic pathways or medications. These biomarkers can be either biological / physical or chemical in nature. The outcomes can take either a functional or a physiological form.
A marker is essentially an item introduced into your body to investigate how an organ works. For instance, an item called Rubidium chloride is administered for isotopic marking or labelling. This is also used for an evaluation of your cardiac system. This item also helps to detect availability of antibodies – if any, which is an indicator of infectious conditions.
Caregivers use biomarkers for multiple purposes i.e., to measure if an ailment is progressing, to evaluate efficacy of treatment plans, to understand your system’s susceptibility to autoimmune conditions such as cancers. Biomarkers are also used to identify long-term health risks associated with recurrence of cancers. There are drug-related as well as disease-centric biomarkers.
Drug-related markers provide inputs on efficiency of drugs on patients, and the way in which drugs will be processed inside patient’s body. On the other hand, disease-centric markers are also known as predictive markers; these markers help to identify the presence of a disease, the manner in which a disease develops, irrespective of treatment plans pursued. The former are called as diagnostic markers: latter is termed as prognostic markers.
Tumor Markers
Tumor markers are one of the biomarkers that help identify existence of cancers, and how cancers behave i.e., how it might grow, and how it might respond to treatment plans. These markers help develop prognosis, monitor patient’s health post-removal of cancers, and to predict how drugs would alter your cancerous condition. Tumor markers can be made of carbohydrates, proteins, genes and / or receptors. Protein-based markers include enzymes as well as hormones.
Enzyme-based markers are used to measure quantum of enzymes secreted in your system. Carbohydrates-based markers are made of antigens produced by cancer cells. On the other hand, receptor-based tumor markers help in prognosis, and to map-out how patients are likely to respond to medications. Tumor markers find their use in inferring at what stage the cancer’s growth is in, in assessing the level of malignancy of tumors, and in identifying possible relapse(s) of cancers.
In case of determining malignancy, tumor markers are monitored to know the kind of bodily-responses to treatment plans. When findings remain at the same level, it shows the treatment has not been working very well. Such instances may lead to developing alternative approaches to treat cancers.
Increase in tumor marker levels may not necessarily indicate growth in malignancy levels; it can also be due to a few unrelated medical conditions. Markers of cancers are determined either at your serum or at other bodily liquids such as urine. Other pathways of tumor marking include assessing / tracking enzyme-based activities. This process of determination is done with the help of immunoassay (IA). This is a biochemical procedure that helps measure molecular presence, with the aid of antibodies or antigens.
Blood Tests
A blood test is ordered to assess presence of tumor markers in blood. Apart from blood, your doctor may also order tests to be done on samples of tissues or urine. Widely used tumor markers are CA-125, CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), PSA (prostate specific antigen), AFP (alpha feto-protein), CA19-9.
Of these, CA 125 is chiefly linked to tumors developing in women’s ovaries. A spike in this tumor marker is associated with onset of ovarian tumours. At times, it can be also indicative of inflammatory conditions on your pelvic floor and / or ailments such as endometriosis. Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) is one of the tumor markers whose spiked-up levels are suggestive of cancers in breasts, lungs, or colorectal tract.
Caveat: High level of CEA may also occur due to internal inflammation, and also among those smoke tobacco-based products.
As the name indicates, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a tumor marker considered for detecting cancers in your prostate gland. A high level of PSA shows a possible onset of prostatic tumors. However, spiked PSA is possible when you are living with conditions such as prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Another widely used cancer marker is alpha feto-protein (AFP); this marker is closely linked with cancers forming in liver. Increased presence of alpha feto-protein suggests risks of cancers in liver. But it may also be due to hepatic conditions like cirrhosis of liver and hepatitis A or B.
Tumor marker named CA19-9 is widely depended-upon for detecting cancers in pancreas. An elevated presence of CA19-9 shows onset of pancreatic tumors. However, caregivers are aware of increase of CA19-9’s presence when you are suffering from cholangitis or pancreatitis.
In this light, you need to know that all cancers may not make markers spike-up. A few non-tumorous conditions may also lead to an elevated presence of markers. In order to infer the whole picture, tumor markers’ increased levels are to be seen in conjunction with lab tests or other diagnostic reports.
It is important to remember when marker levels go off a normal bandwidth. It can either indicate onset of tumors or the worsening of an autoimmune condition. For a greater understanding, physicians may order tests such as biopsies (done on samples of tissues) or scanning (radiological or imaging tests done with ultrasound or a computer tomography – CT scan).
Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) blood test
Carcinoembryonic antigen is one of the proteins present naturally in your body. Infants in mothers’ wombs are known to have this protein at high levels. But soon after birth, new-born babies have this protein at low levels. In case of normal adults, carcinoembryonic antigen fares at an even-lesser level. However, when you get cancers, level of this antigen rises substantially.
Tests are available to detect possible increase of this protein level. Such tests can predict how a tumor is multiplying, and also if it is spreading to several other sites. This blood test also reveals remedial outcomes of drugs and progress of treatment plans. Carcinoembryonic antigen blood test is done when your doctor suspects onset of tumors in thyroid gland, abdominal tract, pancreas, ovaries, lungs, colorectal system, breast and / or urinary bladder.
Caregivers never order this test as a part of their investigations. This is because test results seldom give a precise assessment of your condition. There are many other conditions that may trigger a rise in this antigen. For instance, some individuals with tumors may not have high level of carcinoembryonic antigen. Before going for CEA blood test, you might need to tell your caregivers if you are pregnant, if you have smoking habits and are using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
You also need to disclose of medications plans you currently pursue. You need to share information on intake of protein-supplements, vitamins, herbal drugs and / or dietary aids – taken either with a prescription or taken through the over-the-counter (OTC) route.
Typical range of CEA is 2.5 nanogram per milliliter. Beware of differences in test results between one lab to another. A higher level of CEA – identified over a period of time – is indicative of an active growth of cancer cells.
Your caregiving team may advise you of several other ailments that can spike-up CEA level; such conditions include chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), formation of cysts – especially in breasts, bowel disorders such as IBD – inflammatory bowel disease that may trigger pain, inexplicable loss of weight, discharge of loose stool, etc., hepatic disorders like bronchitis, etc., ulcers and inflammation of pancreas.
In a few remote cases, caregiving teams may use other bodily fluids – apart from blood. Such fluids include peritoneal fluid from abdomen, cerebrospinal fluid or pleural fluid sourced nearby your lungs. In order to have such tests done, you may be advised to go to the hospital or an advanced laboratory set up.
Diagnostic reports also shed light on how cancer therapies like radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgical interventions, immune therapy etc. have improved your condition. Your doctors may order these tests on the periodic basis; it is thus possible for them to tell of recurrence of cancers.
Cost of CEA blood test varies from one state to other in the US. You can talk to your treating doctor to know more of how much each test costs, and of where to take them from at competitive prices. You can also use services of shopping-engines to look-up to tests offered at deeper-discounts in US.
Related Blogs :
Education: Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai Experience: Agarwal is a seasoned pharmacist with over 7 years of experience in the pharmaceutical field. She has worked in various settings, including hospital pharmacies and community clinics, where she has excelled in medication management, patient counseling, and clinical support. Agarwal is known for her expertise in drug therapy optimization and patient safety. In addition to her practical experience, she contributes to health journalism, focusing on pharmaceutical advancements and health policy, and is involved in research projects aimed at improving medication practices and health outcomes. is known for her expertise in drug therapy optimization and patient safety. In addition to her practical experience, she contributes to health journalism, focusing on pharmaceutical advancements and health policy, and is involved in research projects aimed at improving medication practices and health outcomes.