[Clinical relevance of tumor markers]

Tumour markers are often circulating tumour-associated indicators of tumour development. As such they are not suitable for tumour screening and localization, but valuable as adjuncts for medical follow-up care of tumour patients, where their serum level alterations may anticipate the clinical detection of tumour behaviour by a lead time of 1 to 6 months before other methods. The following tumour may be controlled by established markers: endocrine tumours by NSE, calcitonin, parathormone, 5-HIAA, catecholamines/metabolites etc.; head-neck tumours: SCC, CEA; thyroid carcinoma: TG, calcitonin; lung cancer: CEA, NSE, SCC; liver cancer: AFP (PLC), CA 19-9 (cholangiocell.), CEA (secondary): biliary tract and pancreatic cancer: CA 19-9; colorectal carcinoma: CEA, CA 19-9; squamous cell carcinoma (ENT, oesophagus, anal): SCC; breast cancer: CEA and CA 15-3; ovarian cancer: CA 125 (epithelial), CA 19-9 (mucinous); germ cell tumours (ovary including trophoblastic tumours/testes): AFP and HCG; prostatic cancer: PAP and PSA; bladder cancer: TPA.