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What are examples of oncofetal antigens?
The two most studied oncofetal antigens are carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and α-fetoprotein (AFP). CEA (CD66) is a highly glycosylated membrane protein that functions as an intercellular adhesion molecule.
What is meant by oncofetal antigen?
Oncofetal antigens are substances which are produced by tumors and also by fetal tissues but they are produced in much lower concentration by adult tissues.
What is carcinoembryonic antigen level?
The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) test measures the level of CEA in the blood. CEA is a protein normally found in the tissue of a developing baby in the womb. The blood level of this protein disappears or becomes very low after birth. In adults, an abnormal level of CEA may be a sign of cancer.
What do Tumour markers indicate?
A tumor marker is anything present in or produced by cancer cells or other cells of the body in response to cancer or certain benign (noncancerous) conditions that provides information about a cancer, such as how aggressive it is, what kind of treatment it may respond to, or whether it is responding to treatment.
What does a CEA of 10 mean?
Interpreting your CEA results If CEA levels remain elevated during treatment, your treatment may not have been as successful as hoped. Anything greater than 10 ng/mL suggests extensive disease, and levels greater than 20 ng/mL suggest the cancer may be spreading.
What is oncofetal antigen?
Oncofetal antigen. Oncofetal antigens are proteins which are typically present only during fetal development but are found in adults with certain kinds of cancer. These proteins are often measurable in the blood of individuals with cancer and may be used to both diagnose and follow treatment of the tumors. One example of an oncofetal antigen is
What are oncofetal protein Tumor markers?
Carcinoembryonic antigen ( CEA) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) are the most widely used oncofetal protein tumor markers ( Garrett and Kurtz, 1986 ). CEA has been well studied in human medicine, and since the 1970s it has been recognized as a useful marker for cancers of the lung, colon-rectum, breast, ovary, and prostate gland ( Go, 1976 ).
Where do oncofetal proteins originate?
Michael D. Lucroy, in Clinical Biochemistry of Domestic Animals (Sixth Edition), 2008 Oncofetal proteins originate within tumor cells and enter the bloodstream either by secretion from the tumor or as a breakdown product of tumor cells.
What is the difference between tumor-associated and oncofetal antigens?
It also is important to mention that oncofetal antigens are different from tumor-associated antigens, which are found only in tumors and have no role in development. See also: Antigen; Cancer; Gene; Glycoprotein; Immunology; Oncology; Tumor