SCC markers: test features. What does the oncomarker show?

Oncomarkers are the substances produced by the body during the development of the tumor. The name "tumor markers" is also used. Most of all known oncomarkers have high sensitivity. To identify some diseases, for example, carcinoma of the ear, nasopharynx, esophagus, lungs and cervix in women, a test is performed during which the squamous cell carcinoma antigen SCC is secreted. In this article we will consider it in more detail.

What it is?

SCC markers are glycoproteins. They are synthesized in the cells of the flat epithelium of the organs. SCC-oncomarker is a proteinaceous substance that changes the structure of normal cells, leading to the penetration of protein through their membrane.

The antigen of squamous cell carcinoma belongs to the family of inhibitors of serine proteinases. The amount of antigen in the blood varies depending on the stage of the disease and the size of the tumor. If before the start of treatment the level of blood concentration in the markers was high, the forecast is less favorable than in the case of lower indicators.

The number of cancer markers in the blood is directly related to the degree of development of the disease, therefore, according to these data, it is possible to accurately determine the stage of cancer. The blood test for tumor markers can not be performed for screening and for primary diagnosis, only to track the development of an already existing disease.

What information is provided by SCC markers?

The test for cancer markers is by far the most effective in the fight against cancer. Its content and quantity in the blood provide a complete picture of the course of the disease, including the stage. Moreover, oncomarkers allow us to determine the process of the degeneration of healthy cells into cancer cells at the earliest stage of the disease.

In what cases is the analysis carried out?

To diagnose cancer, doctors prescribe an analysis for the SCC oncocomarker in combination with other methods for determining severe pathologies in the body. As a rule, the survey takes a long time. SCC markers are used by specialists to identify the disease, to track its progression and control its development.

The test with the use of oncomarker is advisable to be carried out with regard to people at risk of developing malignant tumors. It allows you to accurately diagnose. During the treatment, the antigen in the blood often grows, which is caused by the breakdown of malignant formation, which causes atypical bodies to enter the bloodstream. For the truthfulness of the data, it is recommended that repeated analysis be performed after 4 weeks. During some inflammatory diseases, it is also possible to increase the concentration in the blood of the antigen, for example, in tuberculosis, bronchitis, ARI, and certain skin diseases.

What is the test for?

The test for SCC-oncomarker is carried out:

• To exclude the spread of metastases to other organs with the progression of the disease.
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of the treatment.
• Control of the disease after treatment to avoid relapse.

Preparing for a laboratory test

In order for the results to be as reliable as possible, the specialist must take into account all the attendant factors and exclude possible inflammatory diseases.

Special conditions for the delivery of analysis is not required. Blood on the SCC oncologist leaves in the morning, on an empty stomach, the day before the analysis, the patient is recommended to abandon fatty, fried and spicy food. On the day of the analysis, you should not smoke for half an hour before taking blood, and also use tea and coffee. To carry out laboratory tests, the nurse takes the patient's blood from the vein in a volume of 5 milliliters.

Explanation of the results

Quite often at the first stages of development, malignant formations do not make themselves felt. Therefore, a timely blood test for the presence of antigens in the blood increases the likelihood of a favorable outcome.

In a healthy person, the amount of antigen in the blood does not exceed the norm of 2.5 ng / ml. However, in the case of recently transferred inflammatory diseases, this indicator may be higher. Then you should re-conduct the blood test after three weeks.

The number of detectable blood markers in the blood helps select patients who are scheduled to undergo radiation or surgical therapy, as well as adjust the treatment in the absence of positive results or worsening of the patient's condition.

The SCC oncologist (the transcript is presented in the article) allows to diagnose in men the cancer of the esophagus, nasopharynx, ear and lungs. In cancer of the esophagus and lungs, the amount of antigen in the region of 1.5 ng / ml is found in the blood. In the case of a study in women with cervical cancer and detection of an elevated antigen level, it can be safely said about the relapse of the disease.

Oncomarker of the cervix. SCC in squamous cell carcinoma

To date, cervical cancer affects not only women aged 40 years, the disease began to develop in young girls up to the age of thirty. Cervical cancer is a very insidious disease, so timely treatment allows a woman to preserve genital organs.

For the correct diagnosis of the disease, the attending physician must take into account all the attendant factors, including the time taken for blood collection and the correctness of its storage. The test for oncomarkers has a very high sensitivity, so the purity of the material to be taken is also important. A small amount of saliva or sweat can lead to contamination of biological material, and this, in turn, leads to unreliability of the analysis.

For the woman to be diagnosed with "cervical cancer", the necessary studies are carried out for oncomarkers. At the analysis of a blood the parameter of 2,5 ng / ml on onkomarker SCC - norm or rate. Cervical cancer is at an early stage in the event of a concentration greater than 2.5 ng / ml. For the accuracy of the data, the test is repeated after 20 days. Quite often there is an acceptable excess of the SCC oncologist in the patient's blood, associated with a passing incidental disease.

Importance of timely diagnosis of cervical malignancies

Conducting research on the presence of oncomarkers for a crane is important for the following reasons:

• Oncological diseases of the reproductive system of a woman reduce fertility.
• This study makes it possible to identify women at risk and to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.

At the third stage of the disease, the number of antigens exceeds the norm by three times. As additional tests the doctor appoints a computer tomography, as well as an analysis of urine and blood.

With somatic pathology, there is also a high likelihood that SCC cancer markers will be detected on squamous cell carcinoma. In such cases it is necessary to study in dynamics, and for this, in addition to the standard analysis for oncomarkers, a histological examination of damaged tissues of the diseased organ is carried out.

The number of tumor markers changes in the case of metastasis. Also on their number affects the size of the tumor, its location and the extent of tissue damage to cancer cells.

Variety of tumor markers

Each kind of tumor distinguishes its unique markers, which are used to determine a particular type of cancer:

• Cancer-embryonic antigen (permissible level - 3 ng / ml) - is determined for the diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma in conjunction with SCC in carcinoma of the cervix.
• Alpha-fetoprotein (acceptable level - less than 15 ng / ml) is a highly sensitive antigen, which is used for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
• The gastric cancer antigen (an allowable level of less than 4 U / ml) is used to control the effectiveness of treatment for gastric carcinoma.
• Mucin-like glycoprotein (acceptable level - less than 28 units / ml) - most often this marker is used to track the result after treatment of malignant mammary gland formation.
• CA 19-9 (permissible level - less than 37 U / ml) is a marker for determining the pancreatic carcinoma.
• SCC markers (the norm does not exceed 2.5 ng / ml) is used in monitoring the results of carcinoma therapy in the cervical, nasopharynx, ear, and lungs carcinoma.
• CA 125 (the acceptable level is less than 35 U / ml) is used to control the course of the disease and the treatment for carcinoma of the testicles.
• NSE (an allowable level of less than 12 ng / ml) is used to diagnose and monitor the effectiveness of ongoing small-cell lung carcinoma therapy.
• HCG (acceptable level in men - 0-5 IU / ml) with increased results in men and nonpregnant women indicates the presence of a malignant tumor.
• The fragment of cytokeratin-19 (the allowable level is less than 3.2 ng / ml) is effectively used for small-cell lung carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the lungs.
• Prostatic specific antigen (an allowable level of less than 4.0 ng / ml) is effectively used to diagnose prostate carcinoma.

Importance of diagnosing the disease at an early stage

In order to avoid tragic consequences and to protect yourself from the development of malignant cancers, it is important to consult a doctor in case of any physical ailments, especially if there were cases of cancer in the family.

Diagnosis of the disease at an early stage and timely treatment will allow to preserve the quality of life, avoid the development of complications and the spread of metastases. Therefore, the most informative is a blood test for SCC markers, which effectively determines the cell transformation at the earliest stages of cancer.