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- • Tests for serum tumor markers that may be elevated with specific cancers, such as CEA (colon), CA-125
- (ovary), CA 15-3 (breast), CA 19-9 (pancreas), prostate-specific antigen (prostate), alpha-fetoprotein
- (hepatoma, germ cell tumors), ßHCG (choriocarcinoma, germ cell tumors) and thyroglobulin and calcitonin
- (thyroid gland).
-
- Imaging
- • Chest x-ray may reveal the most common tumor origin, carcinoma of the lung. It is often impossible, however,
- to distinguish between a primary lung cancer and a metastatic lesion within the chest. Sometimes chest CT is
- also helpful.
- • Mammograms for all women diagnosed with CUPS. Fifty percent of females with isolated metastases in the
- lymph nodes in the armpit will have a breast cancer primary. This will not always be seen on a mammogram,
- however (a false negative result).
- • It is not helpful to do extensive x-rays— bowel x-rays, for example—to look for a primary site unless there is a
- specific complaint in that area, such as constipation or gastrointestinal bleeding.
- The following imaging study is frequently done:
- • Abdominal CT scan , especially if there are metastases in the liver. The scan may reveal the presence of the
- second most common malignancy causing CUPS, pancreatic cancer.
-