🧬 Tumor Markers – Organ-Specific Summary

1. PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen)

• ✅ Fasting: Preferred (avoid ejaculation & cycling 48 hrs prior)
• 🧠 Organ/Cancer: Prostate – used for Prostate Cancer
• 📊 Measures: Protein produced by prostate cells
• 📈 High PSA:
  • Prostate cancer
  • Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
  • Prostatitis
• ✅ Normal Range: < 4.0 ng/mL (age-specific ranges used)
• 🩺 Used for:
  • Screening in men over 50 (or earlier with family history)
  • Monitoring treatment response and recurrence

2. AFP (Alpha-Fetoprotein)

• ✅ Fasting: Yes
• 🧠 Organ/Cancer:
  • Testicular germ cell tumors
  • Liver cancer (Hepatocellular Carcinoma)
• 📊 Measures: Fetal plasma protein normally made in the liver
• 📈 High AFP:
  • Testicular cancer (non-seminomatous)
  • Liver cancer
  • Hepatitis or cirrhosis (mild elevation)
• ✅ Normal Range: < 10 ng/mL
• 🩺 Used For:
  • Diagnosis & monitoring of testicular/liver tumors
  • NOT elevated in seminomas (pure)

3. Beta-HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin – β-hCG)

• ✅ Fasting: Yes
• 🧠 Organ/Cancer:
  • Testicular cancer (especially seminomas & choriocarcinoma)
• 📊 Measures: Hormone normally produced during pregnancy
• 📈 High β-hCG:
  • Testicular tumors
  • Trophoblastic diseases (e.g., choriocarcinoma)
  • Certain ovarian tumors in women
• ✅ Normal Range (men): < 5 mIU/mL
• 🩺 Used For:
  • Monitoring response and recurrence in testicular cancer
  • Often ordered with AFP for full testicular tumor panel

4. CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen)

• ✅ Fasting: Yes (preferred)
• 🧠 Organ/Cancer:
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Also elevated in lung, pancreatic, gastric, and breast cancers
• 📊 Measures: Glycoprotein involved in cell adhesion
• 📈 High CEA:
  • Colorectal cancer (especially metastatic)
  • Heavy smokers (false positive)
  • Liver disease
• ✅ Normal Range:
  • < 3 ng/mL in non-smokers
  • < 5 ng/mL in smokers
• 🩺 Used For:
  • Monitoring after colorectal surgery
  • Not useful for screening due to low specificity

5. CA 19-9 (Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9)

• ✅ Fasting: Yes
• 🧠 Organ/Cancer:
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Also elevated in biliary tract and gastric cancers
• 📊 Measures: Tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen
• 📈 High CA 19-9:
  • Pancreatic adenocarcinoma
  • Cholangiocarcinoma
  • Pancreatitis, bile duct obstruction (false positives)
• ✅ Normal Range: < 37 U/mL
• 🩺 Used For:
  • Monitoring pancreatic cancer treatment/recurrence
  • Not recommended for screening due to low sensitivity in early disease

📊 Summary Table

🧪 Additional Notes:

• Tumor markers are NOT diagnostic by themselves. They should always be interpreted alongside:
  • Imaging (CT, MRI, PET scans)
  • Biopsy reports
  • Clinical history & symptoms
• Mild elevations can occur in benign conditions