[W6] Clinical Biochem of Cancer Flashcards
(23 cards)
What are tumour markers?
Biomolecules produced by tumours, measurable in blood/urine/stool.
What are tumour markers mainly used for?
Monitoring treatment, prognosis, and relapse detection.
What is clinical sensitivity?
Ability of a test to identify those with disease.
What is clinical specificity?
Ability of a test to identify those without disease.
What is an ideal tumour marker?
100% sensitive, specific, organ-specific, and correlates with tumour size.
What is a phaeochromocytoma?
A tumour of chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla.
How is phaeochromocytoma diagnosed?
Blood or urine metanephrines.
What are symptoms of phaeochromocytoma?
Hypertension, palpitations, sweating, headache.
What cancer is CA125 associated with?
Ovarian cancer.
When should CA125 be used in primary care?
Women >50 with persistent abdominal symptoms.
What benign conditions raise CA125?
Endometriosis, menstruation, pregnancy, liver disease.
What is PSA used for?
Monitoring prostate cancer, not definitive diagnosis.
Is PSA used for screening?
No – only via Informed Choice in UK.
What does FIT test for?
Hidden blood in stool (human haemoglobin).
Who receives FIT screening?
All adults aged 60–74 in the UK, every 2 years.
What is CEA used for?
Monitoring colorectal cancer (not diagnosis).
What else can raise CEA?
Smoking, liver disease, other epithelial cancers.
What is CA15-3 used for?
Monitoring breast cancer recurrence or metastasis.
What is CA19-9 used for?
Monitoring pancreatic and GI cancers.
What limits CA19-9 use in some people?
5% of population lack Lewis antigens → false negatives.
What does the Galleri test detect?
Methylation patterns in cell-free DNA to identify cancer.
How many cancers can Galleri detect?
Over 50 types, even pre-symptomatically.
What is the purpose of the NHS Galleri trial?
To evaluate if the test helps detect cancers early when combined with NHS screening.
