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Are tumor markers reliable?

Page last modified on: August 1, 2008
Question from Ruth: Do tumor markers in the blood always show if breast cancer has spread and/or if you have developed another separate cancer?
Answer —Larry Norton, M.D.: Tumor markers in the blood are helpful but not definitive. Some patients can have growing disease and the markers do not become elevated. Others have elevated markers but no disease. Tumor markers are often a source of anxiety that is unnecessary because they are helpful, but not absolute in terms of their meaning. For this reason, tumor marker results have to be interpreted by an expert oncologist.

On Wednesday, October 17, 2007 our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer. Larry Norton, M.D. and moderator Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about managing day-to-day life with metastatic breast cancer.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Larry Norton, M.D.Larry Norton, M.D. is deputy physician-in-chief and director of Breast Cancer Programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

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