Tumor Markers

Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)

CEA is a major contributor during the process of cell adhesion, it is a 200kD glycoprotein and is a predominate tumor marker which is often used to monitor the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Cancer Antigen 125 (CA-125)

CA-125 is one of the most common tumor marker that is associated with the detection of epithelial ovarian cancer. During the presence of this cancer elevated levels of CA-125 are detected.

Calcitonin (CT)

Calcitonin is a peptide hormone that is composed of 32 amino acids, it plays a critical role in the regulation of calcium and phosphate blood levels. This is made possible by the ability of CT to inhibit osteoclasts activity.

Beta-2 microglobulin (B2M)

B2M is considered to be a small membrane protein that is most often linked to the MHC class 1 heavy chains, it is located on nucleated cell surface with the exception of red blood cells.

Beta-hCG

Beta human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) is a tumor marker which is useful in evaluating and managing certain cancers for example: lung, breast and ovarian. Also, many other non-cancerous conditions such as: inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcers and cirrhosis have been identified to result in elevating hCG concentrations. hCG is a hormone that is produced during pregnancy and the initial pregnancy test relies on hCG for detection. This hCG hormone can also be instrumental as a fertility drug, in order to aid the follicles maturing and to trigger the process of ovulation.

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a protein which is used as a tumor marker in order to aid the detection and diagnosis of cancers such as liver, ovaries and testicles. There is evidence to indicate that liver damage can result in elevating the levels of AFP significantly and in cases of chronic liver diseases for example cirrhosis and hepatitis, then the concentrations of AFP can be chronically elevated.

Alpha-fetoprotein is mainly formed via the liver of the developing fetus and the yalk sac tissues of the developing embryo. AFP can display many different variants forms, however, most of the standard AFP assay methods are designed to measure total AFP. This will lead to the detection of all the variants together.