Table of Examples of Tumor Markers
Tumor markers often have more than one purpose and may be associated with more than one type of cancer. This table lists examples of tumor markers found on this web site and their different uses. Click on the tumor marker to go to the test article for more details on a particular marker.
| Tumor marker | Associated cancer(s) | Usual sample | Use(s) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFP (Alpha-feto protein) | Certain liver, ovarian, testicular | Blood | Helps diagnose, monitors treatment and for recurrence | Also elevated during pregnancy and hepatitis |
| ALK gene rearrangements | Non-small cell lung cancer, anaplastic large cell lymphoma | Tissue | Guides treatment | Helps guide targeted therapy |
| B-cell immunoglobulin gene rearrangement | B-cell lymphoma | Bone marrow, tissue, body fluid, blood | Helps diagnose, monitor treatment and for recurrence | Detects characteristic changes in specific genes in B-cells |
| Beta-2 microglobulin | Multiple myeloma, some leukemias, and lymphomas | Blood, urine, CSF | Determines prognosis, monitors treatment & for recurrence | Elevated in other conditions, such as kidney disease |
| BCR-ABL | Chronic myleloid leukemia (CML) and BCR-ABL-positive acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) | Blood, bone marrow | Helps diagnose, monitors treatment and for recurrence | |
| CA 15-3 (Cancer antigen 15-3 and CA 27.29 are two different tests for same marker | Breast | Blood | Monitors treatment and for recurrence | Also elevated in other cancers (lung, ovarian), benign breast conditions, endometriosis, hepatitis |
| CA 19-9 (Cancer antigen 19-9) | Pancreatic, sometimes bile ducts, gallbladder, stomach, colon | Blood | Monitors treatment and for recurrence | Also elevated in other forms of digestive tract cancer and non-cancer, thyroid disease, pancreatitis, bile duct obstruction, inflammatory bowel disease |
| CA-125 (Cancer antigen 125) | Ovarian | Blood | Helps diagnose, monitors treatment and for recurrence | Also elevated with other cancers (e.g., endometrial, peritoneal, fallopian tube), pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, pregnancy) |
| Calcitonin | Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and C-cell hyperplasia | Blood | Helps diagnose, monitors treatment and for recurrence | Also elevated with other cancers (lung, leukemias) but not used to detect these |
| CEA (Carcino-embryonic antigen) | Colon, pancreatic, lung, breast, ovarian, medullary thyroid, others | Blood | Stages cancer, determines prognosis, monitors treatment and for recurrence | Elevated in conditions such as RA, hepatitis, COPD, colitis, pancreatitis, and in cigarette smokers |
| Chromogranin A (CgA) | Neuroendocrine tumors (carcinoid tumors, neuroblastoma) | Blood | Helps diagnose, monitors treatment and for recurrence | May be most sensitive tumor marker for carcinoid tumors |
| DCP (Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin) | Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) | Blood | Monitors treatment and for recurrence | May be used with imaging study, AFP, AFP-L3% |
| EGFR mutation | Non-small cell lung cancer, sometimes head and neck | Tissue | Determines prognosis, guides treatment | Helps guide targeted therapy |
| Estrogen and Progesterone receptors | Breast | Tissue | Determines prognosis, guides treatment | Increased in hormone-dependent cancer |
| Fibrin/Fibrinogen | Bladder | Urine | Monitors treatment, detects recurrence | |
| Gastrin | G-cell hyperplasia, gastrin-producing tumor (gastrinoma) | Blood | Helps diagnose, monitors treatment and for recurrence | Also used to help diagnose Zollinger-Ellison syndrome |
| hCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin, also called Beta-hCG) | Testicular and trophoblastic disease, germ cell tumors, choriocarcinoma | Blood, urine | Helps diagnose, monitors treatment and for recurrence | Elevated in pregnancy |
| HER2 | Breast, gastric, esophageal | Tissue | Determines prognosis, guides treatment | Helps guide treatment with drugs that work against HER2 receptors on cancer cells |
| JAK2 mutation | Certain types of leukemia, myeloproliferative neoplasms, especially polycythemia vera | Blood, bone marrow | Helps diagnose | Detects gene mutations associated with conditions listed |
| KRAS mutation | Colon, non-small cell lung cancer | Tissue | Determines prognosis, guides treatment | Helps guide targeted therapy |
| Lactate dehydrogenase (LD, LDH) | Testicular and other germ cell tumors | Blood | Stages cancer, guides treatment, monitors treatment and for recurrence | Elevated in a wide variety of conditions; may be used in other cancers (e.g., lymphoma, melanoma, neuroblastoma) |
| Monoclonal immunoglobulins | Multiple myeloma and Waldenstroms macroglobulinemia | Blood, urine | Helps diagnose, monitors treatment and for recurrence | Usually detected by protein electrophoresis or serum free light chains |
| PSA (Prostate specific antigen) | Prostate | Blood | May be used for screening, helps diagnose, monitors treatment and for recurrence | Also elevated in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis; may be used for screening |
| SMRP (Soluble mesothelin-related peptides) | Mesothelioma (rare cancer associated with asbestos exposure) | Blood | Monitors treatment and for recurrence | Often used in conjunction with imaging tests |
| T-cell receptor gene rearrangement | T-cell lymphoma | Bone marrow, tissue, body fluid, blood | Helps diagnose, monitors treatment and for recurrence | Detects characteristic changes (rearrangements) in specific genes in T-cells |
| Thyroglobulin | Thyroid | Blood, tissue | Monitors treatment and for recurrence | Used after thyroid is removed to evaluate treatment |
| Breast cancer gene expression tests (e.g., Oncotype DX® and MammaPrint®) | Breast | Tissue | Monitors treatment and for recurrence; helps guide treatment | Evaluate risk of recurrence; help determine whether some people with breast cancer can avoid chemotherapy |
