Cancer Markers
| Tumour Marker | Malignant Associations | Non-Malignant Associations |
|---|---|---|
| CEA | GI tract cancers (particularly colorectal cancer) | Cirrhosis, Pancreatitis, Smoking |
| CA 19-9 | Colorectal cancer, Pancreatic cancer | Cholestasis |
| CA 125 | Ovarian cancer, Breast cancer, Hepatocellular cancer | Cirrhosis, Pregnancy, Peritonitis, Endometriosis |
| AFP | Hepatocellular cancer, Germ cell cancers (not pure seminoma) | Liver disease — hepatitis / cirrhosis, Pregnancy, Open neural tube defects |
| β-hCG | Germ cell cancers, Choriocarcinoma, Hydatidiform mole | Pregnancy |
| PSA | Prostate cancer | BPH, Prostatitis/UTI, Prostate instrumentation, Acute urinary retention, Physical exercise, Old age |
| LDH | Germ cell tumours, Lymphoma, Leukaemia, Melanoma, Neuroblastoma | Myocardial infarction or stroke, Haemolytic anaemia, Infectious mononucleosis, Liver disease, Muscle disease |
| β-2 microglobulin (B2M) | Myeloma (high levels predict poor prognosis), CLL, Some lymphomas | Viral infections (HIV, CMV), Multiple sclerosis |