Tumor markers

Tumor markers are substances produced by cancer cells or by other normal cells of the body under the influence of cancer cells. They provide information about how aggressive the cancer is, what type of treatment it might respond to, whether the treatment was effective or if the tumor reappeared after treatment. They have clinical applications in screening, primary diagnosis, localization, staging, prognosis and monitoring of therapy of neoplastic diseases.
When a patient is diagnosed with cancer, the doctor will want to know as much as possible about it. Therefore, in some cases, they will recommend evaluating tumor markers during the various stages of diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment supervision.
These tests are blood tests that, when performed in conjunction with other investigations, help doctors determine whether a tumor is cancerous and recommend a personalized treatment plan for the patient.