11/10/2022 0 Comments Screen marker too slowOnly 25% of early stage colon cancers have a higher than normal CEA. This means 20-30% of people with colon cancer will not have a high CEA level. For example, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a tumor marker used in colon cancer, yet only 70-80% of colon cancers make CEA. Also, tumor markers are not raised in all cases of the cancers they are used for, so they are not helpful for all patients. There is not a known tumor marker for all types of cancer. Does every cancer type have a tumor marker? Keep in mind that some substances used as tumor markers are normally made in the body, and a "normal" level is not always zero. The other concern is that the marker level is not high in early enough stages of the cancer, so the cancer cannot be found any earlier than when symptoms start to appear. This leads to costly tests that are not needed and causes the patient to be worried. This means that the level is high when cancer is not present. The main worry with tumor markers is that they are not specific enough – they have too many false positives. So far, the only tumor marker to gain some approval as a screening tool is the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) for prostate cancer, though this has concerns as well. The goal of a screening test is to find cancer early, when it is the most treatable, and before it has had a chance to grow and spread. Ideally, markers could be used as a screening test (looking for a cancer in people who do not have symptoms) for the general public. Can a tumor marker be used to screen for cancer? Some markers can help predict how you will do and guide your treatment plan. Tumor markers can also be used along with other tests (scans, biopsies, and so on) to help find cancer if you have symptoms that could be caused by cancer. For that reason, they are not recommended. In breast cancer, research has found that watching tumor markers after treatment does not help people live longer. In some cancers, markers are used to watch for recurrence (return of the cancer after treatment). Because of this, you must think about the tumor marker levels along with the results of radiology scans (CT scan, MRI, Ultrasound), your symptoms, and your healthcare provider’s exam. There are health issues other than cancer that can cause markers to be higher. If it goes up, the cancer may be growing. If the level is going down, the treatment is working. Tumor markers are most often used to track how your cancer is responding to treatment. The markers can be found in the blood, urine, or tissues. Some are seen in several types of cancer. Some of these markers are specific to one cancer.
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