(rÄâ²dÃ¤r) 1. A method of detecting distant objects and determining their position, speed, or other characteristics by causing radio waves to be reflected from them and analyzing the reflected waves. The waves can be converted into images, as for use on weather maps.
A high level of the marker may indicate a worsened prognosis in some situations. The most effective and common purpose of tumor markers is to monitor the cancer treatment. As the cancer levels go on decreasing in the body, the marker also goes down. If the marker remains stagnant or increases, it is usually an indication that the patient is not responding sufficiently to the treatment.
Elevated tumor marker levels after surgery may be an indication that the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Tumor marker tests are likely to be a part of a testicular cancer patient's ongoing cancer care. They can be helpful in monitoring the person's response to treatment as well as detecting the recurrence of testicular cancer.