Information about tumor markers

On this website the members of the EGTM try to provide information for both patients and professionals on the interpretation of the laboratory results on tumormarkers.  
We try to achieve this goal by providing compact guidelines for professionals and additional explanatory texts that can be used by patients to discuss with their doctors.
On the other hand doctors may find these guidelines on tumormarkers also  usefull to explain to their patients how and why they use tumormarkers in some conditions but not in other.

Guidelines

Guidelines are ment to present compact up to date information about the use of tumormarkers related to cancers  from different organs or organ systems.
With the terms "organs" and  "organ systems" we mean either separate organs such as the breast or lung or a combination of organs that are closely related to each other such as the esophagus, stomach, intestine as well as gall bladder, pancreas and liver that belong to the gastro intestinal tract, an organ system.
For most organs and organ systems specific focus groups have been installed, headed by experienced scientists and populated by both professionals from the medical field, basic sciences and producers of tests.

We recognise focus groups for:
Breast ( ductal and lobular structures and the nipple )
Gynecological tract ( covering the Ovaries, Fallopian Tube, endometrium, endocervix and ectocervix, as well as vagina and vulva )
Gastro intestinal tract ( esophagus, stomach, intestines, Gall bladder, liver and pancreas)
Lung ( trachea, bronchus, alveolar parenchyma)
Prostate cancer ( covering mainly the Prostate and in the future also Urinary bladder and Ureters, Kidney)
Melanoma
Neuro endocrine tract  ( thyroid, adrenals, hypophysis, parathyroids, endocrine pancreas. )
Malignant Lymphoma
Germ cell tumors ( mainly tumors from the testis)

BREAST Ca

  • Van Dalen, A. et al. Treatment response in metastatic Breast Cancer. A multicenter study comparing UICC criteria 
and tumor marker changes. The Breast, 1997, 5, 2, 82 - 88
  • Molina R, Barak V, van Dalen, Duffy MJ, Einarsson R, Gion M, et al. Tumor markers in Breast Cancer – 
EGTM recommendations. Tumor Biol 2005;26:281-93.
  • Duffy MJ. Serum tumor markers in Breast Cancer: are they of clinical value? Clin Chem 2006;52:345-51.
  • Duffy, M.J. et al. Clinical use of biomarkers in Breast Cancer: Updated guidelines from the EGTM 
Eur J Cancer. 2017;75:284-298
  • Duffy MJ, McDermott E, Crown J. Circulating Biomarkers in Breast Cancer: 
From Proteins to Circulating Tumor Cells to Circulating Tumor DNA. Tumor Biol. 2018;40(5).

Ovarian Ca

  • Duffy MJ, Bonfrer JM, Kulpa J, et al. CA 125 in Ovarian Cancer: 
EGTM guidelines for clinical use. Int J Gynecol Oncol 2005;15:679
  • Duffy MJ, Sturgeon C, Lamerz R, et al, Tumor Markers in Pancreatic Cancer: EGTM Status Report. 
Ann Oncol 2010;21:441-447.
  • Sölétormos G, Duffy MJ, Othman Abu Hassan S, Verheijen RH, Tholander B, Bast RC Jr, Gaarenstroom KN, Sturgeon CM, Bonfrer JM, Petersen PH, Troonen H, CarloTorre G, Kanty Kulpa J, Tuxen MK, Molina R. Clinical Use of Cancer Biomarkers in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Updated Guidelines from the EGTM. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2016;26(1):43-51.

GI & CRC

  • Duffy MJ, van Dalen A, Haglund C. Clinical utility of biochemical markers in Colorectal Cancer: 
    EGTM guidelines. Eur J Cancer 2003; 39:718-727.
  • Duffy MJ, van Dalen A, Haglund C, Hansson, et al. Tumor markers in Colorectal Cancer: EGTM guidelines for clinical use. Eur J Cancer 2007;43:1348-1360.
  • Duffy MJ, Sturgeon C, Lamerz R, et al, Tumor Markers in Pancreatic Cancer: EGTM Status Report.
  • Ann Oncol 2010;21:441-447.
  • Duffy MJ, van Rossum LG, van Turenhout ST, Malminiemi O, Sturgeon C, Lamerz R, Nicolini A, Haglund C, Holubec L, Fraser CG, Halloran SP. Use of faecal markers in screening for Colorectal neoplasia:
    EGTM position paper. Int J Cancer 2011; 128:3-11.
  • Duffy MJ, Lamerz R, Haglund C, Nicolini A, Kalousová M, Holubec L, Sturgeon C. Tumor markers in Colorectal Cancer, Gastric Cancer and GI Cancers: EGTM 2014 guidelines update. Int J Cancer 2014;134:2513-22. 

Lung Ca

  • Steber P, Barak V, Molina R, Holdenrieder S

    Multicencer EGTM study on evaluation of ProGRP in Lung Ca, Tumor Biology 2006; 27:36-38
  • Duffy MJ, Sturgeon C, Sölétormos G, Barak V, Molina R, Hayes D, Diamandis EP, Bossuyt PM, Validation of new Cancer Biomarkers: a position statement from the EGTM. 
Clin Chem 2015; 61(6):809-20

Prostate Ca

  • Sölétormos G, Semjonow A, Sibley PE, Lamerz R, Petersen PH, Albrecht W, Bialk P, Gion M, Junker F, 
Schmid HP, Van Poppel H. 
Biological variation of PSA: a survey of published estimates and consequences for clinical practice. 
Clin Chem. 2005;51:1342-51.
  • Semjonow A et. al. Tumor Markers in Prostate Ca – EGTM recommendations. 
Anti Cancer Research 19:2785-2820, 1999. 

General

  • Sölétormos G, Duffy MJ, Hayes DF, Sturgeon CM, Barak V, Bossuyt PM, Diamandis EP, Gion M, 
Hyltoft-Petersen P, Lamerz RM, Nielsen DL, Sibley P, Tholander B, Tuxen MK, Bonfrer JM.
    Design of Tumor Biomarker-monitoring trials: a proposal by EGTM. Clin Chem. 2013;59:52-9.