Quick Facts
- Sample: Blood
- Fasting: No fasting required. Stop biotin 72 hours before collection. For PSA, avoid ejaculation and strenuous exercise for 72 hours.
- Turnaround: 3-4 business days. May take longer based on weather, holidays, or lab delays.
What's Included
- Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA): Measured before and after colon cancer surgery to help check treatment success and recovery chances. Also helps monitor chemotherapy effectiveness and detect whether cancer has returned after treatment.
- Cancer Antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9): Measures a protein in the blood as a tumor marker. High levels can indicate pancreatic cancer but can also reflect other cancers or noncancerous conditions. Not used alone for diagnosis; helps monitor cancer and treatment progress.
- Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP): Measures AFP levels in the blood. May help support diagnosis of certain cancers and monitor treatment. High levels may indicate liver or testicular cancer, but AFP cannot be used alone for diagnosis, can be elevated in other conditions, and can be normal in some cancer cases. Most effective when used alongside other exams.
- Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA): Measures the level of PSA, a protein made by the prostate gland. An enlarged prostate, prostate cancer, certain medicines, and other prostate problems can all raise PSA levels. A PSA result alone cannot determine the cause of an abnormal level, and further testing may be needed.
Benefits
- Includes four tumor markers used to help monitor cancer and treatment.
- May help monitor certain cancers and treatment response when used as part of a broader evaluation.
- Can support checking for cancer recurrence after treatment for certain markers.
- Combines commonly used markers (CEA, CA 19-9, AFP, and PSA) in one panel.
- Provides blood-based results your provider can use alongside other testing.
Who Is This Test For?
- People with a personal or family history of cancer.
- Individuals being monitored for treatment response after a cancer diagnosis.
- People checking for possible cancer recurrence after treatment.
- Individuals experiencing symptoms such as unusual lumps or bowel changes.
- People with unexplained weight loss, chronic coughing, or swallowing difficulty.
- Individuals whose healthcare provider recommends tumor marker testing.
How It Works
- Order Your Test Online
- Visit a Local Lab
- Get Results Online
FAQ
1. What is the purpose of this panel?
This panel combines four tumor marker tests, CEA, CA 19-9, AFP, and PSA, to help evaluate and monitor certain cancers and check for recurrence after treatment. Each marker is associated with different cancer types and may also help show how well treatment is working. These markers are not used alone to diagnose cancer; results are considered alongside your medical history, symptoms, and other testing.
2. Who would benefit from this panel?
This panel may be considered by people with a personal or family history of cancer, those being monitored after a cancer diagnosis or treatment, or those with symptoms a healthcare provider wants to evaluate further, such as unusual lumps, bowel changes, or unexplained weight loss. It is not intended as general population screening without provider guidance.
3. How does this panel differ from individual cancer-related tests?
Rather than ordering each tumor marker test separately, this panel groups CEA, CA 19-9, AFP, and PSA into a single blood draw. Because each marker relates to a different cancer type or clinical use, such as treatment monitoring or recurrence checking, ordering a single marker on its own may be more appropriate if you only need information about that one marker.
4. Do I need to fast before this test?
No fasting is required. You should stop taking biotin 72 hours before collection.
5. How quickly will I get results?
Results are typically available in 3 to 4 days. Turnaround may take longer depending on weather, holidays, or other lab delays.
6. How do I interpret the results?
Each marker included in this panel should be interpreted based on its specific clinical use and in the context of your medical history, symptoms, other lab results, imaging, or treatment history. An abnormal result for one marker does not confirm a cancer diagnosis, and a normal result does not rule cancer out. Some markers, such as CA 19-9, AFP, and PSA, can also be elevated due to noncancerous conditions. Your healthcare provider can help you understand what your specific results mean.
Disclaimer: Reference ranges may vary by laboratory. Listed ranges are general guidelines and may differ from those used by the performing lab. Always consult your healthcare provider for interpretation.
7. What should I do if my results are abnormal?
Share any results outside the expected range with your healthcare provider, who can help determine whether additional evaluation is needed and decide on appropriate next steps based on your overall health picture.
8. How often should I get tested?
How often to repeat this panel depends on your individual situation, such as ongoing treatment monitoring or recurrence checks, and should be determined by your healthcare provider. There is no fixed retesting schedule for this panel.
Pre-test preparation
No fasting is required. Stop biotin supplements at least 72 hours before collection. For PSA testing, avoid ejaculation and strenuous exercise for 72 hours before collection.
