Welcome to our comprehensive guide on Oncology. In this article, we delve into Understanding Tumor Markers in Cancer, exploring the latest advancements and essential information.
Tumor markers are substances—often proteins—that are produced by cancer cells or by the body in response to cancer. They can be found in the blood, urine, stool, or tissues of some patients with cancer.
They are used to help diagnose cancer, determine the stage of the disease, estimate a patient's prognosis, and most importantly, monitor how well a patient is responding to treatment (if marker levels go down, the treatment is likely working).
No. While elevated markers can indicate cancer, some non-cancerous conditions can also cause them to rise. Therefore, they are always used in conjunction with other tests like biopsies and imaging scans.