Evidence-Based Supplement & Herb Guides

Chromogranin A Blood Test: Neuroendocrine Tumors, High Levels, Medication Effects, and Monitoring

Learn how the chromogranin A blood test is used for neuroendocrine tumors, why PPIs and benign conditions raise CgA, and how serial results are interpreted.

Chromogranin A (CgA) is a protein stored and released by neuroendocrine cells, so a blood test for CgA can be useful in selected people...

Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) Blood Test: Cancer Monitoring, Tumor Cells in Blood, and Prognosis

Learn how circulating tumor cell blood tests detect tumor cells, what CTC counts mean, how they relate to prognosis and monitoring, and how CTCs differ from ctDNA.

A circulating tumor cell (CTC) blood test looks for intact cancer cells that have detached from a tumor and entered the bloodstream. These cells...

Complexed PSA Test: High Levels, Prostate Cancer Risk, and PSA Result Meaning

Learn what complexed PSA measures, what high cPSA may mean, how it differs from total and free PSA, and how modern prostate-cancer risk assessment uses PSA results.

Complexed prostate-specific antigen (complexed PSA or cPSA) measures the portion of PSA in blood that is bound to certain proteins, especially alpha-1-antichymotrypsin. Most measurable...

CYFRA 21-1 Blood Test: Lung Cancer Marker, High Levels, and Disease Monitoring

Learn what CYFRA 21-1 measures, typical reference limits, causes of high levels, and how this lung cancer marker may help with NSCLC prognosis and monitoring.

CYFRA 21-1 is a blood tumor marker that measures soluble fragments of cytokeratin 19, a structural protein found in many epithelial cells. It is...

Des-Gamma-Carboxy Prothrombin (DCP) Test: Liver Cancer Marker, High Levels, and HCC Risk

Learn what the DCP/PIVKA-II blood test measures, why levels rise, how vitamin K affects results, and how DCP supports HCC risk assessment and treatment monitoring.

Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) is an abnormal form of prothrombin measured in blood as a tumor marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary...

Free PSA Test: Percent Free PSA, Prostate Cancer Risk, and PSA Interpretation

Learn how the free PSA test and percent free PSA help refine prostate cancer risk, what common percentage ranges mean, what affects results, and when follow-up is needed.

A free PSA test measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) circulating in the blood without being attached to other proteins. It is usually...

Gastrin Blood Test: Gastrinoma, Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, High Levels, and Stomach Acid

Understand what a gastrin blood test measures, why gastrin can be high, how gastrinoma and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome are diagnosed, and how PPIs affect results.

A gastrin blood test measures gastrin, a hormone that signals the stomach to make acid. It is most often ordered when a clinician suspects...

HE4 Blood Test: Ovarian Cancer Risk, High Levels, ROMA Score, and Result Meaning

Learn what an HE4 blood test measures, why HE4 can be high, how kidney function affects results, how ROMA combines HE4 and CA-125, and how the marker is monitored.

The HE4 blood test measures human epididymis protein 4, a protein that can be elevated in many epithelial ovarian cancers. Doctors may use HE4...

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) Tumor Marker Test: Germ Cell Tumors, High Levels, and Monitoring

Learn how hCG is used as a tumor marker for germ cell tumors, what high levels can mean, how AFP and LDH fit into staging, and why serial hCG trends matter.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is best known as the hormone detected in pregnancy tests, but it is also an important blood tumor marker for...

Immunofixation Blood Test: Monoclonal Protein, Immunoglobulin Type, Myeloma, and Meaning

Learn what an immunofixation blood test detects, how IgG, IgA, IgM, kappa, and lambda results are interpreted, and what a monoclonal protein may mean.

An immunofixation blood test looks for abnormal, identical antibodies or antibody fragments made by one clone of plasma cells or B cells. These proteins...

Inhibin A Tumor Marker Test: Granulosa Cell Tumors, High Levels, and Monitoring

Learn how the inhibin A tumor marker test is used for granulosa cell tumors, what high levels can mean, typical ranges, and how trends help with monitoring.

The inhibin A tumor marker test measures inhibin A, a hormone made mainly by ovarian granulosa cells. It can be useful when a granulosa...

Inhibin B Tumor Marker Test: Granulosa Cell Tumors, High Levels, Recurrence, and Monitoring

Learn how the inhibin B tumor marker test is used for granulosa cell tumors, what high levels mean, and how serial results can help detect recurrence and monitor disease.

The inhibin B tumor marker test measures a hormone made mainly by ovarian granulosa cells. It is one of the most useful blood markers...

Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Tumor Marker Test: High Levels, Cancer Burden, Cell Damage, and Prognosis

Learn what a high LDH blood test means, how cancer burden and cell damage can raise LDH, common non-cancer causes, normal ranges, and how LDH affects prognosis.

Lactate dehydrogenase, or LDH, is an enzyme found in nearly every tissue in the body. A blood LDH test is sometimes called a tumor...

M Protein Blood Test: Multiple Myeloma, Monoclonal Protein, SPEP, and Result Meaning

Learn what an M protein blood test shows, how SPEP measures a monoclonal protein, what an M-spike can mean, and how results are used in multiple myeloma and MGUS.

An M protein blood test looks for a monoclonal immunoglobulin made by one clone of plasma cells or B cells. The abnormal protein is...

Neuron-Specific Enolase (NSE) Blood Test: Neuroendocrine Tumors, Small Cell Lung Cancer, and High Levels

Learn what the NSE blood test measures, why neuron-specific enolase rises in small cell lung cancer and neuroendocrine tumors, and how results are monitored.

Neuron-specific enolase, or NSE, is an enzyme found mainly in neurons and neuroendocrine cells. A serum NSE blood test can be used as an...

OVA1 Test: Ovarian Cancer Risk Assessment, Biomarker Score, and Result Meaning

Learn how the OVA1 test combines five biomarkers into an ovarian malignancy risk score, what the 5.0 and 4.4 cutoffs mean, and when the test is used.

The OVA1 test is a blood-based multivariate index assay used to help estimate the likelihood that an ovarian or adnexal mass is malignant before...

Pancreatic Polypeptide Test: Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors, High Levels, and Meaning

Learn what a pancreatic polypeptide test measures, why fasting matters, what high PP levels can mean, and how the test fits into pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor evaluation.

A pancreatic polypeptide (PP) test measures pancreatic polypeptide in blood, usually plasma. PP is a hormone released mainly by specialized cells in the pancreas,...

Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) Tumor Marker Test: Parathyroid Tumors, High Calcium, and Result Meaning

Learn how to interpret a PTH blood test with calcium, what high PTH can mean, how benign parathyroid adenomas differ from carcinoma, and what tests usually come next.

A parathyroid hormone (PTH) blood test measures the hormone that helps regulate calcium and phosphorus in the body. It is commonly used to investigate...

PIVKA-II Test: Liver Cancer Marker, High Levels, Vitamin K Status, and HCC Monitoring

Learn what the PIVKA-II/DCP liver cancer marker measures, what high levels can mean, how vitamin K and warfarin affect results, and how the test helps monitor HCC.

A PIVKA-II test measures an abnormal form of prothrombin that can rise in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver cancer. PIVKA-II is...

Pro-Gastrin-Releasing Peptide (ProGRP) Test: Small Cell Lung Cancer Marker, High Levels, and Monitoring

Pro-gastrin-releasing peptide, usually shortened to ProGRP, is a blood tumor marker most closely associated with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). It can help support...