How to quickly determine the clinical significance of a tumor marker when you see it on a checklist? Let this chart tell you. Answer: Besides malignant tumors, other factors that cause elevated tumor markers include: 1. benign diseases, such as inflammatory diseases: AFP, CA19-9, CEA will be elevated in benign liver diseases; β2-microglobulin and CA15-3, CA19-9, CEA and PSA will be elevated in renal failure; CA19-9 concentration can be increased in rheumatic diseases; 2. physiological changes. AFP, CA125, HCG will be elevated in pregnancy; 3, bad habits: smoking, alcoholism; 4, caused by examination: PSA value can be elevated after repeated rectal examinations; 5, taking certain drugs; 6, keeping pets; 7, in addition, contamination during blood sampling, rupture of red blood cells caused by blood sampling, improper preservation of specimens, differences in reagents and less standardized testing can also interfere with the test results. Can elevated tumor markers clarify which part of the tumor is present? Sometimes it is possible, but most of them cannot be determined by tumor markers alone and need to be combined with other tests. The following are some common tumor markers and the organs they suggest may have tumors: CA19-9 pancreas; gastrointestinal tract and liver and gallbladder CA15-3 breast; lung, ovary, liver CA242 colorectum, pancreas, ovary CA72-4 stomach; ovary, pancreas, breast CA125 ovary; uterus, pancreas, liver, lung CA50 Pancreas, breast, lung, gastrointestinal tract, and liver and gallbladder Recent studies have found that PSA (prostate antigen) is not exclusive to men either, but is also increased in about 1/3 of female breast cancer patients and is more than 90% specific. Similarly, a tumor may have multiple tumor markers elevated, for example, patients with pancreatic cancer may have elevated CA19-9, CA242, CA125, etc. at the same time. Does a normal tumor marker rule out a tumor? The answer is still no. Some tumors do not have elevated tumor markers from the beginning to the end, while some tumor markers are normal in the early stage and will only increase when the disease progresses to a certain level. There are many types of tumor markers and many more are still under research, so it is impossible to check all the indicators.