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General Considerations in the Use and Application of Laboratory Tests for the Evaluation of Cancer

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Cancer Diagnostics

Part of the book series: Contemporary Cancer Research ((CCR))

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Abstract

Cancer Diagnostics is concerned with diagnostic tests for the detection and evaluation of human tumors. A cancer cell is the result of malignant transformation of a normal cell (1). Cancer cells are associated with significant growth dysregulation. The identification of a universal tumor-specific epitope or marker has remained elusive. In the past, many types of tumor markers have been characterized The serological and serum tumor markers have included enzymes, proteins, hormones, mucin, and blood group substances (1). Many current tumor marker tests are useful primarily for prediction of prognosis and monitoring therapy of previously diagnosed cancers. However, significant research efforts have been directed to finding laboratory tests that may be useful for screening or early detection of tumors. One useful organ-specific marker has been the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test which has been useful for helping the clinician in the decision to proceed to prostatic biopsy for the diagnosis of cancer vs prostatic hyperplasia (2).

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Authors
  1. Robert M. Nakamura
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  2. Wayne W. Grody
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Robert M. Nakamura MD

  2. UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Wayne W. Grody MD, PhD

  3. ARUP Labs, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    James T. Wu PhD

  4. Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Raymond B. Nagle MD, PhD

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Nakamura, R.M., Grody, W.W. (2004). General Considerations in the Use and Application of Laboratory Tests for the Evaluation of Cancer. In: Nakamura, R.M., Grody, W.W., Wu, J.T., Nagle, R.B. (eds) Cancer Diagnostics. Contemporary Cancer Research. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-791-8_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-791-8_1

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61737-399-2

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