To identify cancer, your doctor may order a lab blood test to identify tumor markers, types of substances produced by cells, or the tumor itself, such as AFP or PSA, that are elevated in your blood. Certain types of cancer.
The dose of tumor markers is important not only for detecting cancer but also for evaluating tumor development and response to treatment.
- While tumor markers are indicators of cancer.
- Some benign situations may cause them to increase.
- Such as appendicitis.
- Prostatitis.
- Or benign prostate hyperplasia.
- And for this reason.
- In most cases.
- Other tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis such as ultrasound or MRI.
In addition, the values of tumor indicators of the blood test according to the laboratory and the sex of the patient, it is important to consider the reference value of the laboratory.
Know the signs and symptoms that may indicate cancer
Some students of bad tests requested by your doctor to identify cancer include:
What it detects: Alphalfetoprotein (AFP) is a blood test used to detect tumors in the stomach, intestine, ovaries, or the presence of metastasis in the liver.
Reference value: In general, in case of malignant changes, the value is greater than 1000 ng / ml, however, this value could also be increased in situations such as cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, approaching 500 ng / ml.
What it detects: The mucinous carcinoma (MCA)-associated antigen usually detects cases of breast cancer. See symptoms of breast cancer.
Reference value: In most cases it is possible to indicate cancer when its value is greater than 11 U/ml in the blood test, however, this figure may increase in less severe situations, such as benign ovarian, uterus or prostate tumors.
Typically, the doctor also orders the MARKER CA 27. 29 or CA 15. 3 to monitor breast cancer and verify response to treatment, in addition to verifying the possibility of cancer recurrence.
What it detects: Tumor bladder antigen (BTA) is used to detect bladder cancer and usually refers to its values with NMP22 and carcinoembryronous antigen.
Reference value: In the case of a tumor, the test has a value greater than 1, however, this value may also be affected by less serious problems such as inflammation of the kidneys or urethra, especially when using a bladder catheter.
What it detects: Prostate antigen (PSA) is a protein that normally occurs for the prostate, but in prostate cancer, its concentration may increase. Learn more about prostate antigen.
Baseline: When it is greater than 4. 0 ng/ml, it may indicate the development of cancer, and when it is greater than 50 ng/ml, it may indicate the presence of metastasis. However, other tests such as rectal touch and prostate ultrasound are necessary to confirm the cancer, as the concentration of this protein can also be increased in benign situations.
What it detects: CA 125 is a marker used to check the possibility and perform the development of cancer in the ovary, this marker alone does not diagnose this type of cancer, it must be accompanied by other tests for the correct diagnosis. Learn more about CA 125.
Reference value: Generally, cancer signal when the value is greater than 65 U / ml, however, the value can also increase in cases of cirrhosis, cysts, endometriosis, hepatitis or pancreatitis.
What it detects: Calcitonin is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland and can increase mainly in people with thyroid cancer, but also in people with breast or lung cancer, for example.
Know more about the calcitonin problem
Reference value: can be cancerous when the value is greater than 20 pg/ml, but the value may also change due to diseases such as pancreatitis, paging diseases and auctions during shipping.
What it detects: Thyroglobulin is generally high in thyroid cancer, however, for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer, it should also measure other markers such as calcitonin and TSH, because thyroglobulin may be elevated even in people who do not. See symptoms of thyroid cancer.
Reference value: Normal thyroglobulin values are between 1. 4 and 78 g/ml, above what cancer may indicate.
What it detects: When carcinoembry embryonic antigen (ACS) can be measured for different cancers, it usually rises in the presence of cancer in the intestine, which affects the colon and rectum. Learn more about this hotfix.
Reference value: To be indicative of cancer, the ACE concentration must be 5 times higher than the normal value, which is up to 5 ng / mL in smokers and up to 3 ng / mL in non-smokers.
In addition to these blood tests, other hormones and proteins can be evaluated, for example: CA 19. 9, CA 15. 3, CA 72. 4, LDH, Catepsine D, Telomerase and human chorionic gonadotropin, whose many reference values change during cancer development. an organ.
For sorespechar cancer, the diagnosis needs to be confirmed, although your doctor indicates imaging tests such as:
In most cases, confirmation of diagnosis is done by combining several tests, such as patient observation, blood tests, MRI, and biopsy, for example.