Do you know these most common tumor markers?

Tumour markers are a type of substance produced by or associated with tumour cells during the occurrence and development of tumours, and their existence and changes in levels reflect the presence and growth of tumours.1. Oteroid protein (AFP)It is a sub-family of protein, usually produced from the liver during the development of the foetus, and its level decreases after birth. The AFP rise is common in the following cases:Initiative liver cancer (hepatic cell cancer), cholesterol cell cancer in the liver, testicular cancer (especially sperm cell tumor), during pregnancy (increased physiology)2. Carcinogen antigens (CEA)Carcinogen antigens are a tumor marker that is widely used for the screening and monitoring of colon cancer. The rise of the CEA can be seen in the following:colon cancer, stomach cancer, pancreas cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer3. PSA (prostate specific antigens)PSA is a symbol for prostate cancer screening and monitoring. It should be noted that the increase in PSA does not always mean cancer, but it may also be caused by prostate inflammation or prostate growth.4. CA-125CA-125 is an oncological marker commonly used for ovarian cancer screening and monitoring. Its rise may also be seen in:ovarian cancer, intrauterine cancer, peritoneal cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer5. CA-19-9CA-19-9 is a tumor marker associated with pancreas cancer, but it can also increase in other cancers, including:Pancreas cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer6. CYFRA 21-1CYFRA 21-1 is one of the 19 cytone proteomics commonly used for the detection of lung cancer, especially non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).7. HE4 (Many testosterone 4)HE4 is an emerging tumor marker that can be used in conjunction with CA-125 to improve the accuracy of ovarian cancer detection.Clinical applications of tumor markersClinical applications of tumor markers include:Screening: Cancer screening for non-symptomatic populations.Diagnosis: Assisted diagnosis of cancer usually requires a combination of other tests, such as imaging, pathology, etc.Pre- and post-assessment: assess the pre- and re-emergence risk of cancer patients.Treatment monitoring: Monitoring of therapeutic effects, such as changes in levels of tumor markers, may reflect treatment responses.AttentionTumour markers are not a cancer-specific diagnostic tool and their results need to be analysed in conjunction with other clinical information.The level of tumour markers is influenced by a number of factors, including age, sex, inflammation, benign disease, etc., so that the rise of a single marker does not necessarily mean cancer.Tumour markers differ in their sensitivity and specificity in different cancers and none can be used for all cancer detection.ConclusionsOncological markers play an important role in cancer screening, diagnosis, pre-evaluation and treatment monitoring. However, their application requires caution and must be interpreted under the guidance of a professional physician. The early detection and treatment of cancer will be further enhanced by the development of medical technology, the discovery of more tumor markers, their joint use and their combination with other screening methods.