For cancer screening and monitoring

Tumour markers are proteins found in the blood, tissues or urine that may be produced directly by a tumour or by other tissues in response to the presence of the tumour. They can therefore be used to screen for cancer and monitor the course of the disease.

Tumour PSA Array Analytes

• Free Prostate Specific Antigen (fPSA)
• Total Prostate Specific Antigen (tPSA)
• Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer in men but if caught and treated early has a 90% cure rate, thus early detection is imperative. In the Tumour PSA Array, CEA is measured in addition to total and free PSA. CEA is a non-specific cancer antigen produced in response to malignant cells. Therefore testing for CEA simultaneously with PSA provides a more accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Tumour Array 3 (Monitoring) Analytes

• Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)
• Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP)
• Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG)

The Tumour Array 3 contains CEA in addition to AFP and hCG. AFP is a protein produced by the developing foetus and also by certain tumours. AFP levels in healthy adults are low thus elevated levels may indicate the presence of a tumour such as testicular or ovarian tumours. hCG is a hormone produced in pregnancy and is not normally elevated in healthy adults. hCG, secreted by some cancers, is a very sensitive test for tumour presence. Simultaneous measurement of all three markers can be used to monitor the effects of treatment and recurrence of disease.