25/06/2015
Tumor Markers & PSA
As tumor markers are known the proteins produced by tumor cells or normal cells in response to the presence of the tumor and can be measured quantitatively, providing information on the diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of the treatment of the disease.
An increase or a continuous increase in the levels of tumor markers often implies recurrence, metastasis and poor response to treatment, while lower levels indicate a positive response to treatment, and therefore a good prognosis.
The following main cancer markers have been shown to be associated with the presence of cancer in the respective organs.
Ca 125
Mucin detectable by monoclonal antibodies, ovarian cancer.
Ca 15.3
Mucin dectectable by monoclonal antibodies monitoring of breast cancer.
Ca 19.9
Glycolipid bearing Lewis antigen.
Monitoring of pancreatic cancer.
CEA
Glycoprotein,gastrointestinal tumors and other adenocarcinomas.
HCG
Glycoprotein composed of two subunits.Diagnosis and monitoring NSGCT, choriocarcinoma, seminoma, prognosis of germ cell tumors.
PSA
Glycoprotein - Diagnosis, monitoring of prostate cancer
AFP - Glycoprotein - hepatocellular carcinoma, germ cell tumors
CYFRA 21.1
Section of cytokeratin - lung cancer, bladder.
Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen)
Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men over 50 years. It accounts for over 15% of cancers in men.
PSA is produced in the prostate and helps s***m fertility. Is an indicator of prostate cancer, although moderately elevated levels may be measured in benign prostatic hypertrophy.
PSA is produced by the epithelial cells of prostate and secreted normally through the prostatic pores in seminal fluid where is found in large concentrations.
While in normal conditions minimum quantity invade the bloodstream, in pathological situations the serum PSA levels increase significantly.
Clinical significance of PSA
PSA levels in serum are mainly used for the early detection and management of patients with prostate cancer, cancer staging, treatment monitoring, detection of recurrence of cancer and as a predictor indicator.
Early detection: PSA levels in serum are measured for the early detection and control of diseases associated with the prostate, particularly prostate cancer, but elevated serum PSA levels can still be found in benign prostatic hyperplasia, as in inflammatory conditions of the prostate gland.
Monitoring treatment: Significant evidence of PSA in diagnosed cases of prostate cancer, to monitor the effectiveness of treatment either surgical or radiological or pharmaceutical.Decrease of PSA levels to normal, is an indication of the complete removal of the tumor or exemption from the malignancy.
Free PSA (FPSA)
The proportion of free PSA in serum was found to increase significantly in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, and is decreased in patients with prostatic cancer.The ratio or proportion of the concentration of free PSA to total concentration, is a new index, which is proposed to be used to clarify situations between benign hyperplasia and cancer, especially among men who have intermediate levels of total serum PSA.
Clinical significance importance of the fraction FPSA / TPSA
1 Provides against PSA better estimation of the probability of having a prostate cancer, thus contributing to a better separation between cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
2 It improves the sensitivity and specificity of the examination of the PSA, reducing the number of negative biopsies, particularly in prices of PSA 4- 10 ng/ml and increasing the number of detectable cancers at values 70 years).
