How used: To check whether colorectal cancer has spread; to look for breast cancer recurrence and assess response to treatment CD20• Tumor markers that are currently in common use are listed below | Because tumor markers can be used to assess the response of a tumor to treatment and for prognosis, researchers have hoped that they might also be useful in screening tests that aim to detect cancer early, before there are any symptoms |
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Quality control material should approximate the same matrix as patient specimens, taking into account properties such as viscosity, turbidity, composition, and color | Tissue analyzed: Blood and urine• Tumor markers may also be measured periodically during cancer therapy |
In addition, not everyone with a particular type of cancer will have a higher level of a tumor marker associated with that cancer | Quality Assurance — QA is defined as the overall program that ensures that the final results reported by the laboratory are correct |
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The National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry publishes laboratory medicine practice guidelines, including Use of Tumor Markers in Clinical Practice: Quality Requirements , which focuses on the appropriate use of tumor markers for specific cancers | Cancer types: Cutaneous melanoma and colorectal cancer• Tumor markers are substances found in the blood, urine, stool, other bodily fluids, or tissues of some patients with cancer |
How used: To determine whether treatment with a targeted therapy is appropriate Chromogranin A CgA• 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.
14Tumor marker levels may be measured before treatment to help doctors plan the appropriate therapy | Cancer types: Pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, bile duct cancer, and gastric cancer• How used: To monitor progression and response to treatment HE4• How used: To determine aggressiveness of cancer and guide treatment 5-Protein signature Ova1• How used: To assess whether treatment is working CA-125• Can tumor markers be used in cancer screening? Cancer type: Chronic myeloid leukemia• Laboratory quality control material is usually run at the beginning of each shift, after an instrument is serviced, when reagent lots are changed, after calibration, and whenever patient results seem inappropriate |
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Buys SS, Partridge E, Black A, et al | Collection, transport and storage of specimens 3 |
Ovarian cancer biomarker performance in prostate, lung, colorectal, and ovarian cancer screening trial specimens.
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