Evidence-Based Supplement & Herb Guides

Pancreatic Cancer Biomarker Panel: CA 19-9, CEA, KRAS, BRCA, PALB2, and Tumor Markers

Understand pancreatic cancer biomarkers including CA 19-9, CEA, KRAS, BRCA, PALB2, MSI, and gene fusions, with practical guidance on monitoring, hereditary risk, and targeted therapy.

A pancreatic cancer biomarker panel is not one universal test. It is a combination of blood markers, tumor molecular tests, and inherited genetic tests...

PD-L1 Test for Gastric Cancer: CPS Score, Expression Level, and Immunotherapy Marker Meaning

Learn how PD-L1 CPS is calculated in gastric cancer, what CPS ≥1 and CPS ≥5 mean, and how expression level guides immunotherapy alongside HER2 and MSI testing.

A PD-L1 test for gastric cancer measures programmed death-ligand 1 expression in tumor tissue, usually with immunohistochemistry, to help estimate whether an immune checkpoint...

PIVKA-II Test for Liver Cancer: High Levels, HCC Risk, and Monitoring

Learn what a high PIVKA-II or DCP result means, which noncancer conditions can raise it, and how the marker is used with AFP and imaging for HCC risk and monitoring.

PIVKA-II is a blood biomarker that can rise in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver cancer. It is also called des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin...

Signatera Test for Colon Cancer: ctDNA Recurrence Monitoring and MRD Detection

Learn how Signatera uses tumor-informed ctDNA to detect molecular residual disease after colon cancer treatment, what positive and negative results mean, and how MRD monitoring may guide care.

Signatera is a tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) test used to look for molecular residual disease after treatment for colon cancer and to monitor...

SMAD4 Test for Pancreatic Cancer: Tumor Suppressor Marker, Loss, and Prognosis

Learn what SMAD4 loss means in pancreatic cancer, how IHC and sequencing detect it, what studies show about prognosis, and why SMAD4 is not yet a stand-alone treatment target.

A SMAD4 test in pancreatic cancer looks for loss or alteration of a tumor suppressor that is central to transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling....

AKT1 Mutation Test: Breast Cancer, Solid Tumors, AKT Pathway, and Mutation Meaning

Learn what an AKT1 mutation test detects, what AKT1 E17K means, how results guide advanced breast cancer treatment, and how tumor and blood testing differ.

An AKT1 mutation test looks for DNA changes in the AKT1 gene, a key part of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR growth-signaling pathway. In cancer, the best-known...

ALK Fusion Test: Gene Fusion, Lung Cancer Marker, Positive Result, and Molecular Meaning

Learn what an ALK fusion test detects, how NGS, FISH, and IHC differ, what an ALK-positive lung cancer result means, and how it guides targeted therapy.

An ALK fusion test looks for a cancer-driving rearrangement involving the ALK gene, most often in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The classic example...

APC Mutation Test: Colon Cancer, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Variant Meaning, and Hereditary Risk

Learn how APC mutation testing relates to familial adenomatous polyposis, colon cancer risk, germline versus tumor variants, mosaicism, and family testing.

An APC mutation test looks for harmful changes in the APC gene, a tumor-suppressor gene that helps control cell growth through the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway....

ASXL1 Mutation Test: Myeloid Cancer, Prognosis, Mutation Status, and Risk Meaning

Learn what an ASXL1 mutation test means in AML, MDS, CMML, MPNs, and clonal hematopoiesis, including prognosis, VAF, and risk interpretation.

An ASXL1 mutation test looks for acquired DNA changes in the ASXL1 gene, an epigenetic regulator that is frequently altered in myeloid blood disorders....

ATM Mutation Test: DNA Repair Gene, Breast Cancer Risk, Prostate Cancer Risk, and Variant Meaning

Learn what an ATM mutation test means for DNA repair, hereditary breast and prostate cancer risk, tumor testing, variant classification, screening, and family follow-up.

An ATM mutation test looks for harmful changes in the ATM gene, which helps cells detect and respond to DNA double-strand breaks. A pathogenic...

BCL2 Rearrangement Test: Follicular Lymphoma, Double-Hit Lymphoma, and FISH Result

Learn what a BCL2 rearrangement FISH test means in follicular lymphoma, how t(14;18) is interpreted, and how MYC plus BCL2 defines double-hit disease.

A BCL2 rearrangement test looks for a structural chromosome change involving the BCL2 gene, most often by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In conventional...

BCL6 Rearrangement Test: Lymphoma, Prognosis, Rearrangement Status, and FISH Result

BCL6 rearrangement testing uses FISH to clarify lymphoma genetics, prognosis context, and MYC/BCL2-related classification; learn what positive and negative results mean.

A BCL6 rearrangement test looks for a structural chromosome change involving the BCL6 gene, usually with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). BCL6 is a...

BCR-ABL1 Test: CML, Leukemia, Philadelphia Chromosome, and Molecular Monitoring

BCR-ABL1 testing diagnoses Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML and tracks molecular response; learn PCR levels, International Scale milestones, resistance, and monitoring.

A BCR-ABL1 test detects the BCR::ABL1 fusion gene or its RNA transcript, the defining molecular abnormality in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and an important...

BRAF Mutation Test: V600E, Melanoma, Colon, Thyroid, Lung Cancer, and Mutation Meaning

BRAF mutation testing identifies V600E and related drivers in melanoma, colon, thyroid, and lung cancer; understand methods, positive results, prognosis, and targeted therapy.

A BRAF mutation test checks a tumor for changes in the BRAF gene, most importantly the activating BRAF V600E variant. BRAF encodes a protein...

BRCA1 Mutation Test: Hereditary Cancer Risk, DNA Repair, Variant Meaning, and Family Risk

BRCA1 mutation testing identifies hereditary DNA-repair risk; learn pathogenic variant and VUS meaning, breast and ovarian cancer risks, family inheritance, and next steps.

A BRCA1 mutation test looks for inherited or tumor-acquired changes in the BRCA1 gene, a major DNA-repair gene and one of the best-established causes...

BRCA2 Mutation Test: Hereditary Cancer Risk, DNA Repair, Variant Meaning, and Family Risk

Understand BRCA2 mutation testing, hereditary cancer risk, DNA repair, pathogenic variants, VUS results, germline vs tumor findings, and family testing.

A BRCA2 mutation test looks for changes in the BRCA2 gene that can affect DNA repair and, in some cases, substantially raise the risk...

BTK Mutation Test: Leukemia, Lymphoma, Drug Resistance Marker, and Mutation Meaning

Learn what a BTK mutation test means in leukemia and lymphoma, including C481 and non-C481 resistance mutations, negative results, testing methods, and treatment relevance.

A BTK mutation test looks for acquired changes in the BTK gene that can help explain resistance to Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors in certain...

CALR Mutation Test: Myeloproliferative Neoplasm, Platelets, Myelofibrosis, and Result Meaning

Understand CALR mutation testing for essential thrombocythemia and myelofibrosis, including type 1 and type 2 variants, platelet findings, negative results, prognosis, and next steps.

A CALR mutation test looks for acquired changes in the calreticulin gene that help diagnose and classify certain BCR::ABL1-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms, especially essential thrombocythemia...

Cancer Gene Mutation Panel: Tumor Mutations, Gene Variants, Diagnostic Meaning, and Molecular Profiling

Learn how cancer gene mutation panels and molecular profiling work, what actionable and uncertain variants mean, how tissue and liquid biopsy differ, and when germline testing is needed.

A cancer gene mutation panel analyzes many cancer-related genes at the same time to identify molecular changes that may help classify a tumor, estimate...

CDK4 Amplification Test: Liposarcoma, Copy Number Gain, Cancer Marker, and Tumor Classification

Understand CDK4 amplification testing in liposarcoma, including copy-number gain, MDM2 co-amplification, FISH and NGS methods, result meaning, diagnosis, and treatment relevance.

A CDK4 amplification test looks for extra copies of the CDK4 gene in tumor cells. In soft-tissue pathology, this finding is most closely associated...