Cancer Screening Blood Tests
Tumor markers are substances that are produced by cancer or by other cells of the body in response to cancer or certain benign (noncancerous) conditions. Most tumor markers are made by normal cells as well as by cancer cells; however, they are produced at much higher levels in cancerous conditions. These substances can be found in the blood, urine, stool, tumor tissue, or other tissues or bodily fluids of some patients with cancer.
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)
Cancer types: Liver cancer and germ cell tumors
Tissue analyzed: Blood
Beta-human Chorionic Gonadotropin (Beta-hCG)
Cancer types: Choriocarcinoma and germ cell tumors
Tissue analyzed: Urine or blood
CA15-3/CA27.29
Cancer type: Breast cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood
CA19-9
Cancer types: Pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, bile duct cancer, and gastric cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood
CA-125
Cancer type: Ovarian cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood
Calcitonin
Cancer type: Medullary thyroid cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood
Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)
Cancer types: Colorectal cancer and some other cancers
Tissue analyzed: Blood
Neuron-specific Enolase (NSE)
Cancer types: Small cell lung cancer and neuroblastoma
Tissue analyzed: Blood
Prostate-specific Antigen (PSA)
Cancer type: Prostate cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood
Thyroglobulin
Cancer type: Thyroid cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood