Cancer Screening Blood Tests

Tumor markers are substances that are produced by cancer or by other cells of the body in response to cancer or certain benign (noncancerous) conditions. Most tumor markers are made by normal cells as well as by cancer cells; however, they are produced at much higher levels in cancerous conditions. These substances can be found in the blood, urine, stool, tumor tissue, or other tissues or bodily fluids of some patients with cancer.

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)

Cancer types: Liver cancer and germ cell tumors
Tissue analyzed: Blood

Beta-human Chorionic Gonadotropin (Beta-hCG)

Cancer types: Choriocarcinoma and germ cell tumors
Tissue analyzed: Urine or blood

CA15-3/CA27.29

Cancer type: Breast cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood

CA19-9

Cancer types: Pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, bile duct cancer, and gastric cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood

CA-125

Cancer type: Ovarian cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood

Calcitonin

Cancer type: Medullary thyroid cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood

Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)

Cancer types: Colorectal cancer and some other cancers
Tissue analyzed: Blood

Neuron-specific Enolase (NSE)

Cancer types: Small cell lung cancer and neuroblastoma
Tissue analyzed: Blood

Prostate-specific Antigen (PSA)

Cancer type: Prostate cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood

Thyroglobulin

Cancer type: Thyroid cancer
Tissue analyzed: Blood