Ovarian Cancer Tumor Markers Table

Surgery and chemotherapy are generally used to treat ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer tumor markers table. Your doctor might also test your blood for tumor markers that indicate ovarian cancer. For example a cancer antigen ca 125 test can detect a protein that s often found on the surface of ovarian cancer cells. A tumor marker is a substance that is produced by a cancer or by the body itself because cancer is present. A tumor marker is anything present in or produced by cancer cells or other cells of the body in response to cancer or certain benign noncancerous conditions that provides information about a cancer such as how aggressive it is whether it can be treated with a targeted therapy or whether it is responding to treatment.

A detailed discussion of tumor markers in ovarian germ cell tumors is beyond the scope of this review and is outlined in table 5. Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and abdomen. Examples of commonly used circulating tumor markers include calcitonin measured in blood which is used to assess treatment response screen for recurrence and estimate prognosis in medullary thyroid cancer. And beta 2 microglobulin measured in blood urine or cerebrospinal fluid to estimate prognosis and follow response to treatment for multiple myeloma.

α fetoprotein and human β chorionic gonadotrophin are probably the best known tumor markers in clinical practice and are invaluable in the diagnosis treatment and follow up of ovarian germ cell tumors. In more than 70 of cases it is only diagnosed at an advanced stage. Tumor markers are commonly used in cancer care to monitor treatment response or for recurrence of cancer but they must be part of a bigger picture including physical exam patient symptoms and radiology studies. Ca 125 is a protein that is a so called tumor marker or biomarker which is a substance that is found in greater concentration in tumor cells than in other cells of the body.

However it is useful in postmenopausal women. Ovarian cancer is the 5th leading cause of death for women with cancer worldwide. It was first identified in the early 1980s and the function of the ca 125 protein is not currently understood. The use of the cancer antigen 125 ca125 tumour marker can be unreliable in premenopausal women given the low sensitivity for ovarian cancer.

Ovarian neoplasms fit into the following subgroups. In particular ca 125 is present in greater concentration in ovarian cancer cells than in other cells. Early stage ovarian cancer in which the disease is confined to the ovary is more likely to be treated successfully. Epithelial including the most common cell type serous ovarian cancer but also the less common mucinous and low malignant potential tumors sex cord stromal tumors germ cell tumors and metastatic tumors.

These tests can t tell your doctor whether you have cancer but may give clues about your diagnosis and prognosis. Serum ca125 assay has low sensitivity in the early stages and can be increased in certain conditions. Ca125 is used in conjunction with ultrasound findings and is used to determine risk of ovarian cancer through the risk of malignancy index rmi. At this late stage ovarian cancer is more difficult to treat.