[Use of tumor markers as screening tools - sense or nonsense?]

Screening programs for early detection of cancer aim to reduce mortality and mobidity. Therefore, effective therapy for early stages of the respective disease should be available. Tumor markers are not established tools for screening of healthy populations since they lack sensitivity and specificity in detecting diseases. Nevertheless, screening with tumor markers would be an attractive tool since side effects of other screening modalities (radiation endoscopy etc) are avoided. To implement tumor markers in screening programs, markers or marker profiles with higher sensitivity and specificity are needed. Novel tumor markers may include microRNA, antibodies directed against tumor-specific antigens, cell-free DNA as well as circulating exosomes. Tumor markers may already be used in some follow-up care settings to detect recurrences at an early stage.