(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.
What I feared from the start of having tumor tests has happened--and it's only my 2nd test! Got a call today that all of my blood work except for the tumor marker was normal. Tumor marker was slightly high at 45 (40 is the high end of normal). I have to have it retested in a month. If it comes back the same or higher I'll have a PET scan.