Two Patients with Elevated Tumor Markers but No Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Patrick P. J. van der Veek, Wouter H. de Vos tot Nederveen Cappel, Alexandra M. J. Langers, Bart van Hoek
Primary Institution: Medisch Centrum Haaglanden
Hypothesis
Can elevated serum tumor markers occur in the absence of malignancy?
Conclusion
The cases show that elevated serum tumor markers can be present in benign conditions and should not be solely relied upon for cancer diagnosis.
Supporting Evidence
- An 18-year-old male had aFP levels of 2,002 μg/L but no cancer was found.
- A 60-year-old female had CA19-9 levels of 18,000 kU/L, which normalized after treatment.
Takeaway
Sometimes, tests that check for cancer can show high numbers even when there is no cancer. This happened with two patients who had high tumor markers but were not sick with cancer.
Methodology
Case report of two patients with elevated tumor markers and their clinical evaluations.
Limitations
The study is based on only two case reports, limiting generalizability.
Participant Demographics
["18-year-old male with autoimmune hepatitis","60-year-old female with biliary stone disease"]
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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