At present, many physical examination centers take tumor markers as one of the physical examination items, and most people understand that taking a blood can find out the hidden tumors in the body.
As a doctor, I often encounter people who consult with the test report and point to a slightly higher tumor marker to ask [does it matter? Is it true that you have cancer? ]
The meaning of tumor markers cannot be clearly explained in a word or two. As far as the current medical level is concerned, they are far from reaching the level of [sharp weapon] for early detection of tumors.
What is a tumor marker?
Perhaps you will also see a long list of incomprehensible English abbreviations, what [AFP, CA-XXX, PSA] and so on on the physical examination form. Is the relationship between these things and tumors what?
There are probably the following relationships between tumor markers and tumors:
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Substances produced only in tumors;
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Substances present only in malignant tumors;
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Substances produced when malignant tumors exist in the body and the human body is stimulated to react.
Due to these relationships, coupled with tumor markers can be found in blood, which can reflect the occurrence and development of tumors and can be used to monitor and evaluate the curative effect during treatment.
Note: It is not said here that tumor markers can be used to diagnose tumors.
The gold standard of tumor diagnosis is pathological diagnosis, that is, it is necessary to take a tumor and put it under a microscope, which requires biopsy or surgery to take specimens for diagnosis. As puncture biopsy is also a small operation, small operation, there is no convenience for blood drawing examination.
[One tube of blood can be drawn to find tumors] has always been a good idea of medical workers and researchers, and it is also the goal of their struggle.
At present, there are thousands of reported and discovered tumor markers, but they can really be applied in clinical practice. Several outstanding players, such as AFP (for liver cancer), PSA (for prostate cancer), CEA, CA19-9, etc., are already relatively reliable, but they are still far from reaching the accuracy expected by medical work.
Therefore, only the increase of tumor markers cannot diagnose tumors.
Are tumor markers used in what?
Tumor markers cannot be used to diagnose tumors, but tumor markers are not useless.
1. Prompt role
Although tumor markers are not so accurate, for example, the early diagnosis of lung cancer is not as good as spiral CT;. The diagnosis of digestive tract tumors is not as good as gastrointestinal endoscopy.
However, it is impossible for everyone to be willing or able to do these tests in a full set, while blood tests are very convenient, so relatively accurate tumor markers are often added to the physical examination items to cover the examinations of various systems.
2. If tumor markers are found to be elevated…
When friends around me find that the tumor markers are abnormally elevated in physical examination, I usually suggest to reexamine them again and comfort them at the same time. Don’t be too nervous, because some inflammation and benign tumors may also increase the tumor markers.
If the reexamination results still rise, it is necessary to see which system tumor this indicates. It is very important to find a specialist for analysis and further examination as soon as possible.
3. Postoperative reexamination
For patients who have been identified as cancer, detection of [tumor markers] can evaluate the disease condition and judge the therapeutic effect.
This is because the height of tumor markers is often parallel to the growth and decline of tumors, and the disease condition is not well controlled. Markers usually rise a lot and will decrease or even return to the normal level after effective treatment. Therefore, dynamic observation is particularly important.
For example, if the tumor recurs after the operation, CT and MRI may not find it for a period of time, but the tumor markers will gradually increase, which can help doctors to judge the disease condition and intervene as soon as possible in some aspects.
Summary
Tumor markers are not the criteria for tumor diagnosis, but only play an alert role.
If the physical examination finds that it is high, we should actively face it and find out the cause of the high. Don’t worry too much. Most of the time, the rise of tumor markers is not caused by tumors, but by other reasons.