(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.
Tumor markers are tests to determine how much of these substances are floating around our body. The more tumor substance found in the body then it stands to reason, that the more active the cancer is. Unfortunately these tests are still a long way from being foolproof. There can be false positives and false negatives.