Pomen tumorskih označevalcev pri bolnikih s solidnimi tumorji in limfomi Role of tumor markers in the treatment of solid tumors and lymphomas

Povzetek

Tumorski označevalci so snovi, ki jih izloča tumor ali pa nastanejo kot odgovor na tumor v telesu. Samo na podlagi določitve koncentracije tumorskega označevalca ne moremo postaviti diagnoze raka, ker je koncentracija lahko povečana tudi pri bolnikih, ki nimajo raka, in normalna pri bolnikih z rakom, poleg tega pa označevalci večinoma niso specifični za določeno vrsto raka. Koristni so predvsem pri vrednotenju uspešnosti zdravljenja, v manjši meri pa tudi pri spremljanju bolnikov po končanem zdravljenju nekaterih vrst raka, da bi zgodaj odkrili ponovitev bolezni.

Abstract (Eng)

Tumor markers may be produced by tumor cells or by the body as a response to the tumor. A diagnosis of cancer cannot be based only on the presence of higher level of tumor markers in the blood or body fluids because tumor markers can be elevated in the patients who don't have cancer or can be normal in the patients with cancer, and because no tumor marker is entirely specific to a particular type of cancer. One of the most important uses of tumor marker testing is to evaluate the efficacy of cancer treatment in the patients on treatment, especially in cases of advanced cancer. Tumor marker testing is also used in the follow-up of patients after the completed treatment of some cancers in order to detect early relapse.