Markers of uterine cancer

Tumor markers are soluble proteins (glycoproteins) that are found in the blood, urine, or tissues of patients with certain types of cancer. They are usually produced by tumor cells, but in some cases they can be produced by the body itself in response to developing cancer. The level of cancer markers does not increase in all cancer patients, especially at an early stage of the disease.

If uterine cancer is suspected, markers can help in assessing the stage of the disease. Also, a blood test for specific types of proteins helps determine the effectiveness of the course of treatment, even in cases where imaging tests do not show visible changes.

Types of tumor markers of uterine cancer

To examine patients with uterine cancer, testing is carried out for the most sensitive cancer markers for this disease. These include:

• CA125;
• SCC-Ag;
• CA 27-29;
• CEA;
• β HCG.

Features of uterine cancer markers

CA125 is usually produced by the epithelium during fetal development. This epithelium lines the body cavities and wraps around the ovaries. Elevated CA125 levels (more than 13 u/ml) are most often associated with epithelial ovarian cancer, although high levels have also been found in other malignancies such as cervical adenocarcinoma and uterine carcinoma. It is believed that in cervical cancer, an increased value of CA125 is associated with the progression of the disease.

Another marker of uterine cancer, squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag), is a TA-4 subfraction associated with the tumor antigen. SCC-Ag is a valuable diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. This cancer marker is also useful for monitoring therapy and follow-up of patients with uterine cancer. Normally, SCC-Ag should be in the range of 0-1.5 ng/ml.

Cancer antigen CA 27-29 is often present in the blood of patients with uterine, breast, ovarian, kidney, liver, pancreatic, stomach, colon, and lung cancers. This marker is used both for the diagnosis and control of cancer development before and after therapy. However, not all patients with uterine cancer have a high CA level of 27-29 (more than 40 u/ml). In addition, it may be of great importance in absolutely healthy women in the first trimester of pregnancy or with benign breast disease. CA 27-29 is also sometimes associated with ovarian cysts, endometriosis, kidney stones, and liver diseases.

Cancer-embryonic antigen (CEA) is used as a marker for uterine, breast, and lung cancers. An increased level of CEA (more than 2.5 ng/ml, or if a person smokes – more than 5.0 ng/ ml) can also be observed in the blood of patients with leukemia, melanoma and other cancers. In addition to cancer, this marker may be overestimated in people with hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and pancreatitis.

The uterine cancer marker β HCG (human beta-chorionic gonadotropin) is naturally secreted by the placenta during pregnancy. If the level of β HCG exceeds 2.5 honey/ml in a non-pregnant woman, this indicates the development of cancer in the body.

Given the different reasons for the increase in the level of some cancer markers, they should only be used in combination with other diagnostic tests.