TUMOR MARKER EXAMPLES

Question 1

Examples:
○ Hyperbilirubinemia
○ C-reactive protein (elevated in inflammation)
○ Haptoglobin
○ Alpha 2-macroglobin
○ Beta 2-microglobin

Answer 1

Serum Proteins or Molecules as Tumor Markers

Question 2

Examples
○ PTH (parathyroid) – can produce hypercalcemia in
lung cancer (lytic bone metastasis can too)
○ GH (growth)
○ ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic)
○ TSH (thyroid stimulating)
○ HCG-β subunit (human chorionic gonadotrophin) – seen in testicular cancer

Answer 2

Ectopic Hormones as Tumor Markers

Question 3

Examples
○ Estrogen – estrogen-receptor breast cancers have a
better prognosis (can use Tamoxifen)
○ Progesterone – primarily used in breast cancer

Answer 3

Hormone Receptors as Tumor Markers

Question 4

Examples
○ Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)
○ Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP)

Answer 4

Oncofetal Antigens as Tumor Markers

Question 5

▪ Detects osteoblastic lesions (like osteosarcoma)
• So anytime you get new bone formation, you get elevated levels of ALP
• Also elevated in benign conditions
○ Pregnancy (babies make new bone)
○ Childhood
○ Obstructive hepatic disease
▪ Derived from the tumor itself

Answer 5

Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)

Question 6

▪ Detects – prostate carcinoma and osteolytic metastasis
• Also elevated in benign conditions:
○ Benign prostatic hyperplasia
○ Mechanical trauma – accidental or instrumentation (biopsy etc.)

Answer 6

Acid Phosphatase (ACP)

Question 7

Examples
○ S-100 = Melanoma
○ Ca-125 = Ovarian Cancer

Answer 7

Cellular Markers as Tumor Markers

Question 8

○ May be elevated in benign conditions:
▪ early pregnancy
▪ endometriosis
▪ uterine leiomyoma
▪ benign ovarian cysts

Answer 8

CA 125

Question 9

○ Can be elevated in cancers of the:
▪ Lung
▪ Ovary
▪ Endometrium
▪ GI tract
○ Can be increased in benign conditions such as:
▪ Chronic hepatitis
▪ TB
▪ Sarcoidosis
▪ Pelvic inflammatory disease
▪ Endometriosis
▪ Systemic lupus erythematosus
▪ Pregnancy and lactation

Answer 9

CA 15-3

Question 10

○ Can be elevated in cancers of the:
▪ breast
▪ colon
▪ gastric
▪ kidneys
▪ lung
▪ ovarian (carcinoma)
▪ pancreatic (carcinoma)
▪ uterine (carcinoma)
▪ hepatic (carcinoma)
○ Can be elevated in benign conditions including:
▪ 1st trimester pregnancy
▪ endometriosis
▪ benign breast disease
▪ renal disease
▪ hepatic disease

Answer 10

CA 27-29

Question 11

○ Produced by:
▪ Colon
▪ Pancreatic
▪ Biliary cancers

Answer 11

CA 19-9