Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases known to mankind. It arises from the cells when they grow uncontrollably and invade other tissues in the body.

Cancer has a complex nature, and its diagnosis and treatment can be challenging for healthcare professionals. In recent years, research has brought forward various cancer markers that provide valuable insight into detecting and treating cancer.

What are Cancer Markers?

Cancer markers are substances produced by the cancer cells or other cells in response to cancer. Detecting these substances in blood or tissue samples can help diagnose and monitor cancer progression. Cancer markers can be used in the following ways:.

To screen people for cancer.
To diagnose cancer.
To assess the stage and progression of cancer.
To monitor the response to cancer treatment.

Basic Cancer Markers

Basic cancer markers are the ones that are commonly used by healthcare professionals for diagnosing and treating cancer. They are simple and easy to test, and their presence or absence can provide crucial information about the cancer’s nature.

Some of the most commonly used basic cancer markers are:.

Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)

PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland. It is commonly used to screen for and diagnose prostate cancer.

Elevated levels of PSA can indicate the presence of prostate cancer, but it is not specific to cancer and may be elevated due to other reasons such as prostate inflammation.

Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)

CEA is a glycoprotein produced by some cancer cells. It is commonly used to monitor colon cancer, and its levels can indicate the efficacy of colon cancer treatment.

Elevated levels of CEA can also indicate the presence of other cancers, but it is not specific to any cancer type.

Cancer Antigen 125 (CA 125)

CA 125 is a protein produced by some cancer cells, especially ovarian cancer cells. It is commonly used to monitor ovarian cancer, but its levels can also be elevated due to other reasons such as chronic liver disease and endometriosis.

Therefore, it is not specific to cancer but can indicate the presence of ovarian cancer.

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)

AFP is a protein produced by the developing fetus and some cancer cells, especially liver cancer cells. Elevated levels of AFP can indicate the presence of liver cancer or other cancers, but it is not specific to any cancer type.

Advanced Cancer Markers

Advanced cancer markers are the ones that are relatively new and less commonly used by healthcare professionals.

They are more complex and require advanced technology to test, but their presence or absence can provide more specific information about the cancer’s nature. Some of the most promising advanced cancer markers are:.

Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs)

CTCs are cancer cells that have broken away from the primary tumor and entered the bloodstream. Detecting CTCs in blood samples can indicate the presence of cancer and the risk of metastasis (spreading to other parts of the body).

CTCs can also be used to monitor the efficacy of cancer treatment and predict the patient’s outcome.

Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA)

ctDNA is the DNA released by cancer cells into the bloodstream. Detecting ctDNA in blood samples can indicate the presence of cancer and the risk of recurrence.

ctDNA can also be used to monitor the efficacy of cancer treatment and detect the emergence of drug-resistant cancer cells.

Cancer Exosomes

Exosomes are small vesicles that are secreted by cells to communicate with each other. Cancer cells also secrete exosomes, which contain specific proteins and genetic material that can help diagnose and monitor cancer.

Detecting cancer exosomes in blood or tissue samples can provide valuable information about the cancer’s nature and progression.

Tumor Microenvironment (TME)

TME is the complex environment around the tumor that includes blood vessels, immune cells, and other cells. TME plays a crucial role in cancer development and progression.

Analyzing TME can provide valuable information about the cancer’s immune response, its sensitivity to drugs, and the risk of metastasis.

Conclusion

Cancer markers have revolutionized cancer diagnosis and treatment. Basic cancer markers such as PSA, CEA, CA 125, and AFP are commonly used by healthcare professionals to screen, diagnose, and monitor cancer.

However, advanced cancer markers such as CTCs, ctDNA, cancer exosomes, and TME provide more specific and valuable information about the cancer’s nature and progression. By using a combination of basic and advanced cancer markers, healthcare professionals can provide personalized and targeted cancer treatment to their patients.