tumor markers
Diagnostic blood signals
Tumor markers are substances, usually proteins, produced by cancer cells or by the body in response to cancer, detectable in blood, urine, or tissue samples.
Doctors use them to help diagnose certain cancers, monitor treatment effectiveness, or detect recurrence.
Common examples include PSA for prostate cancer and CA-125 for ovarian cancer.
Her tumor markers dropped significantly after chemotherapy.
No single marker definitively confirms cancer; they're typically used alongside imaging and biopsies.
- alpha-fetoproteinFetal blood protein
- biopsyTissue sample for diagnosis
- metastasisCancer spreading beyond origin
- histopathologyDisease study through tissue
- carcinomaEpithelial malignant tumor
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