Health package · 5 tests
Tumour Marker Package for Women
Women's cancer markers
- 5 tests
- Blood sample
- No fasting
- Report within 24 hours
- Home collection
What this package is for
Women's cancer markers
This panel measures five tumour markers, substances that can be raised by some cancers and also by several non-cancer conditions. It includes CA-125, linked mainly to ovarian cancer; CA 15-3, linked to breast cancer; CA 19-9 and CEA, linked to cancers of the digestive system such as the pancreas and bowel; and AFP, linked to liver cancer. Doctors mainly use these markers to help assess or monitor a known or suspected cancer, not to screen healthy women.
Who this package is for
- Your doctor is investigating symptoms or a scan finding and wants supporting information
- You are being treated for a cancer and your doctor is tracking marker levels over time
- You have finished cancer treatment and are having regular follow-up
How to prepare
Fasting: Not needed.
You do not need to fast. Keep taking your usual medicines unless your doctor says otherwise. If you are having your period, are pregnant, or have recently had surgery or an infection, tell your doctor, because these can raise some markers, especially CA-125. When markers are followed over time, having them measured by the same laboratory method each time makes comparison easier.
At home
- Sample
- Blood sample
- How it works
- A trained collector takes a small blood sample from a vein in your arm at your home. All five markers are measured from this one draw, which takes a few minutes.
- Report
- Within 24 hours of collection.
What the results can mean
A raised marker does not mean you have cancer, and a normal result does not rule it out. CA-125 can rise with periods, pregnancy, endometriosis, fibroids and liver disease, CEA with smoking, and CA 19-9 and AFP with liver or bile duct problems. Markers are most useful when compared over time in someone already diagnosed. Your doctor will interpret the results alongside your symptoms, examination and scans.
What's included
5 tests in this package:
Related packages and tests
- CA-125 (Cancer Antigen 125)CA-125 is a protein that can be released into the blood by ovarian cancer cells, although other tissues in the body make it too.
- CA 15-3 (Cancer Antigen 15-3)CA 15-3 is a protein that some breast cancer cells release into the blood, and it is used as a tumour marker.
- CA 19-9 (Cancer Antigen 19-9)CA 19-9 is a tumour marker, a substance that some cancers release into the blood.
- Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)CEA is a protein normally present only in very small amounts in adults' blood, but some cancers, particularly bowel (colorectal) cancer, can release more of it, so it is known as a tumour marker.
- Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP)Alpha-fetoprotein is a protein made mainly by the liver of an unborn baby, so levels are naturally high in pregnancy and very low in other adults.
- Tumour Marker Package for MenMen's cancer markers৳3,550
Questions people ask
Can tumour markers detect cancer early?
Not reliably. Many early cancers do not raise these markers, and many harmless conditions do, so they are not recommended for screening people without symptoms. Your doctor can advise on proper screening, such as a mammogram or cervical screening test.
What does a high CA-125 mean?
It can be linked to ovarian cancer, but it is also often raised by periods, pregnancy, endometriosis, fibroids, pelvic infection or liver disease. Your doctor usually combines it with an ultrasound and your symptoms before drawing conclusions.
Why are markers checked again after treatment?
If a marker was raised before treatment, a fall afterwards can show the treatment is working, and a later rise can be an early sign that the cancer needs attention again.
Is CA 15-3 a breast cancer screening test?
No. CA 15-3 is used mainly to follow breast cancer that has already been diagnosed. Breast screening relies on breast awareness, clinical examination and mammograms.
How much does a Tumour markers (women) package cost in Dhaka?
With Mukti Health the price is ৳3,950, and the sample is collected at your home in Dhaka. You see the price again before you confirm the booking in the Mukti Health app.
Can I do the Tumour markers (women) package at home in Dhaka?
Yes. Book it in the Mukti Health app and a trained sample collector comes to your home in Dhaka to take the blood sample. You do not need to go to a laboratory.
How long does the Tumour markers (women) report take?
The report is usually ready within 24 hours of the sample being collected.