According to published reports;
CEA: slight to moderate Carcino Embryonic Antigen elevations (rarely above 10 ng/ml) occur in 15-30% of benign diseases of the intestine, the pancreas, the liver and the lungs: liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, pancreatitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and emphysema. Smokers also have elevated CEA values.
CA 15-3: slightly elevated Cancer Antigen 15-3 serum values (up to 50 U/ml) are occasionally found in patients with liver cirrhosis, hepatitis, autoimmune disorders, and benign diseases of the ovary and breast. Non-mammary malignancies in which elevated CA 15-3 assay values have been reported include lung, colon, pancreatic, primary liver, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial.
CA 19-9: even slight cholestasis can lead to clearly elevated Cancer antigen 19-9 serum levels in some cases. Elevated values are also found with a number of benign and inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the liver, as well as in cystic fibrosis. Cancer antigen 19-9 is not sensitive or specific enough to be considered useful as a tool for cancer screening. Its main use is as a tumor marker:
to help differentiate between cancer of the pancreas and bile ducts and other non-cancerous conditions, such as pancreatitis; to monitor a patient's response to pancreatic cancer treatment; and to watch for pancreatic cancer recurrence.
CA 125: slight to moderate elevations have been reported for Cancer Antigen 125 in individuals with non-malignant conditions such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, endometriosis, first trimester pregnancy, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Elevations during the menstrual cycle have also been mentioned. Non-ovarian malignancies include cervical, liver, pancreatic, lung, colon, stomach, biliary tract, uterine, fallopian tube, breast and endometrial carcinomas. CA-125 is used to monitor therapy during treatment for ovarian cancer. Cancer Antigen 125 is also used to detect whether cancer has come back after treatment is complete. This test is sometimes used to follow high-risk women who have a family history of ovarian cancer but who do not yet have the disease
CA 72-4: elevated serum values of Cancer Antigen 72-4 can be found in benign illnesses: pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, pulmonary diseases, rheumatic illnesses, gynecological illnesses, benign diseases of the ovaries, ovarian cysts, illnesses of the breast, benign disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
AFP: as the alpha fetoprotein values rise during regeneration of the liver, moderately elevated values are found in alcohol-mediated liver cirrhosis and acute viral hepatitis, as well as in carriers of HbsAg (hepatitis B antigen).
PSA: an inflammation or trauma of the prostate (e.g. in cases of urinary retention, or following rectal examination, cystoscopy, colonoscopy, transurethral biopsy, laser treatment or ergometry) can lead to Prostate Specific Antigen elevations of varying duration and magnitude. Benign hypertrophy of the prostate is frequently involved: the free PSA dosage helps to clear the matter, with the evaluation of FPSA/PSA quotient.
Free PSA: in patients receiving therapy, particularly hormone withdrawal therapy, the FPSA/PSA quotient cannot be utilized to differentiate prostate hyperplasia from cancer of the prostate.
B2M: rheumatic arthritis, lupus, Crohn's disease, myeloma, chronic lymphoid leukemia can increase results for Beta 2 microglobulin, as does renal failure.
BHCG: elevated HCG concentrations not associated with pregnancy are found in patients with tumors of the germ cells, ovaries, bladder, pancreas, stomach, lungs and liver.
NSE: Neuron Specific enolase concentrations (inf 12 ng/ml) have been found in patients with benign pulmonary diseases and cerebral diseases. Moderate elevations are reported in cerebrovascular meningitis, disseminated encephalitis, spinocerebellar
degeneration, cerebral ischemia and infarction, intracerebral hematoma, head injuries, inflammatory brain diseases, organic epilepsy, schizophrenia, and Jakob-Creutzfeld disease.
