You’ve probably heard about testicular cancer markers screening and are wondering why it is even important in the first place. Maybe you’ve been thinking about including it in your cancer treatment plan but have no idea if it is the most viable route to follow. Well, there’s no need to panic since many people seem to be facing the same problem as you.
Fortunately, this post is here to help clear some of the doubts you may be having in your mind. But before we go any further, you need to understand what tumor markers entail. To cut the long story short, tumor markers are substances produced and detected in blood and may indicate presence of cancer.
You may be wondering how tumor markers are even used in the first place. Some tumor markers come in handy when detecting cancer in high-risk individuals such as AFP patients who have Cirrhosis or Hepatitis B. At times, the tumor markers may be used to detect recurrence of cancer in patients.
The good news is that there are three different methods relied upon when carrying out tumor markers tests i.e.; a blood test, a urine test or biopsy. However, you need to remember that the tests might have to be repeated since the tumor marker levels tend to change over time.
In the event that the levels of tumor markers increase, you should consult your medical practitioner within the shortest time possible. Either way, tumor markers may not precisely indicate the presence of cancer. This is because some benign conditions can also raise tumor markers. No wonder your doctor might decide to perform further investigations to confirm the presence of cancer.
We can never conclude without mentioning the fact that there are instances when the tests can give a ‘false positive.’ What this simply means is that the results imply a person has testicular cancer when they don’t. The reverse is also true, where the person might have cancer but the tests do not show.
The Bottom Line
Before you try out testicular cancer markers screening in Singapore, ensure you go out of your way and determine what they are all about. In so doing, you can rest assured it is exactly what you need to keep your health in check. Hopefully, this article will serve as a good starting point before you get going.