Tumour markers

Question 1

Tumour marker used for population screening

Answer 1

PSA for prostate cancer

Question 2

Tumour marker for diagnosis

Answer 2

hCG in men for testis cancer

Question 3

Prognosis predicting

Answer 3

hCG and AFP in men with testis cancer

Question 4

Monitoring treatment, diagnosis, remission and relapse

Answer 4

CEA in colon cancer

CA-125 in ovarian cancer

Question 5

AFP

Answer 5

Hepatoma, teratoma (75% cases), pancreatic carcinoma

NB: elevated in liver disease + pregnancy!

Question 6

b-HCG

Answer 6

chorlocarcinoma, testicular tumour/ teratoma, germ cell tumours
NB: measured both in blood and urine

Question 7

PAP

Answer 7

Seminoma, ovarian adenocarcinoma

Question 8

CEA

Answer 8

Colonic adenocarcinoma,
ovarian adenocarcinoma,
advanced breast cancer
pancreatic cancer

NB: not useful for diagnosis/ screen. Used for monitoring treatment. May be elevated in pancreatitis, UC, gastritis, heavy smokers.

Question 9

CA19-9

Answer 9

Pancreatic cancer
Advanced colorectal cancer
NB: ratio of CA19-9: CEA most sensitive for pancreatic cancer diagnosis

Question 10

LDH

Answer 10

lymphoma

Question 11

Thyroglobulin

Answer 11

thyroid cancer

NB: used to monitor and identify relapse

Question 12

calcitronin

Answer 12

Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid

NB: used to monitor and identify relapse

Question 13

PSA

Answer 13

Prostate cancer

NB: may be measured in serum and tissue by immunohistochemistry. Serum level closely related to disease status

Question 14

Alkaline phosphatase

Answer 14

Osteosarcoma

NB: also raised in bony mets, ,osteitis, paget’s disease

Question 15

CA 15-3

Answer 15

High in breast cancer (esp metastatic)