Cancer marker profile Liver-2

The Cancer Marker profile Liver-2 measures the AFP, CEA, CA 19.9, Chromogranin A levels in the blood.

• To screen for Liver cancers: This may include patients with suspected clinical signs and symptoms of liver cancer.
• For monitoring treatment and relapse in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. 
• The test may be used as a prognostic marker for survival following bile duct, pancreatic or gall bladder surgery.
• In patients diagnosed with liver cancer: To know the stage of cancer as well as the metastasis status
• The test can help detect recurrence, metastasis and residual cancer: This may even include patients with a history of cancer of other organs like breast, lung, pancreas, gall bladder etc.

Primary liver cancer being relatively uncommon, often goes undetected due to the lack of specific signs and symptoms. Some symptoms that may require further testing may include:

• Right abdominal pain.
• Jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin)
• White chalky stools
• Loss of appetite
• Abnormal weight loss with malaise.
• Abdominal bloating
• History of liver cirrhosis
• Chronic Hepatitis infection

This test requires a blood sample. A tourniquet (elastic) band is placed tightly on the upper arm. The patient is then asked to make a fist. This helps in the build-up of blood filling the veins. The skin is disinfected before needle insertion and the blood sample is collected in vacutainer.

None

CEA test

A gross increase of CEA in a patient with compatible symptoms are suggestive of the presence of cancer. The results of this test when done over an interval help monitor condition of the patient and his response to treatment.

CEA levels fall after successful treatment to normal levels in 1-4 months

Levels may increase in certain non-cancerous conditions like smoking, hepatic disease, trauma, ulcerative colitis, pancreatitis, cirrhosis, COPD, Crohn's disease and hypothyroidism.

Patients should do a follow-up testing preferably through the same laboratory as different assays can give different result values on the same sample

CA 19.9 test

Elevated values occur in cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer and colon cancer; they may also occur in non-cancerous conditions like cirrhosis, cholestasis and pancreatitis.

In benign conditions the result values are usually below 1000 U/mL.

Patients should do a follow-up testing preferably through the same laboratory as different assays can give different result values on the same sample

Chromogranin A

The levels are elevated in gastrinoma, pheochromocytoma, carcinoid tumors, and medullary carcinoma of the thyroid.

In some cases, levels may also be elevated in healthy subjects.

AFP-Alpha Feto Protein Test (AFP Test)

High AFP levels can be seen in hepatocellular carcinoma, non-seminomatous germ cell tumors and yolk sac tumors of the ovary.

Occasional high AFP is seen in gastric and pancreatic carcinoma, cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, lymphoma, lung cancer

This test should not be used for diagnosis of cancer in isolation, as both false positive and negatives can occur.

• AFP test
• CEA test
• CA 19.9 test
• Chromogranin A test

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a glycoprotein and its concentration in blood increases in certain tumours i.e., colorectal cancer, medullary thyroid carcinoma, breast, gastrointestinal tract, liver, lung, ovarian, pancreatic and prostatic cancers.

It is often used for monitoring colorectal & gastrointestinal cancer patients and their response to treatment.

CA 19-9 is a modified blood group antigen. The levels of CA 19.9 are useful for diagnosis in patients with pancreatic carcinoma, bile duct carcinomas, gastric carcinomas, colon carcinomas, esophageal carcinomas and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Human Chromogranin A is a tumor marker used to differentiate between endocrine and non-endocrine tumors. Chromogranin A is not a diagnostic test for endocrine tumors. It can be elevated in patients with renal failure and in patients of atrophic chronic gastritis.

AFP is normally made by a fetal liver and yolk sac. The test is done as part of cancer diagnosis to know the liver or pancreatic involvement due to cancer.