Cancer Marker Tests In Singapore

Early detection of cancer significantly increases the chances of successful treatment. In Singapore, cancer marker tests are part of the tools available for early cancer detection. In this article, we explore the importance of early detection, how cancer marker tests work, common tumour markers used in health screenings, and where these tests are available in Singapore, Johor Bahru (JB), and Kuala Lumpur (KL).

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The Importance Of Early Detection Of Cancer

The likelihood of successfully treating cancer is considerably increased with early detection and treatment. The two elements of early cancer detection are screening, and early diagnosis. While screening consists of evaluating individuals to find those who have cancer before any symptoms occur, early diagnosis focuses on identifying cancer in symptomatic patients as early as possible. Cancer marker tests in Singapore may help patients detect their cancers early and get appropriate treatment.

Cancer Screening Versus Early Diagnosis

According to the WHO, early diagnosis “is particularly relevant to cancers of the breast, cervix, mouth, larynx, colon and rectum, and skin”. Mass population screening programmes, on the other hand, is “advocated only for cervical, breast and colorectal cancer” due to the prevalence of these diseases, resource, and other considerations. Of course, this does not preclude private individuals from seeking out cancer screening services if they feel there is a need for themselves to get screening (e.g. have significant cancer risk factors).

Cancer screening vs Early Diagnosis. Credit: WHO

What Are Tumour Markers?

Tumour markers are substances that are present in the blood, urine, or tissue in cancer patients at higher-than-normal levels. These compounds, often known as biomarkers, can be produced by tumours. Additionally, healthy cells may also produce them in reaction to the tumours. The presence and concentration of these chemicals in your body are ascertained by cancer marker testing. Proteins typically act as markers for tumours. Furthermore, certain genetic changes are also used as tumour markers.

Different types of cancers will have different markers. Some tumour markers may be unique to a particular type of cancer, whereas others may be linked to multiple types of cancers. There are also cancers for which there are current no known tumour markers.

Cancer Marker Testing

Tumour marker tests (may be referred to by some people as cancer marker tests) may be done as a blood test, as a urine test, or as a biopsy. As tumour marker levels fluctuates over time, these tests may similarly need to be repeated over the course of a patient’s cancer treatment journey.

Common Cancer Markers In Health Screening

Tumour Marker	Associated Cancers	Other Information
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)	Liver cancer and Testicular cancer	Elevated levels can also occur in liver disease.
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)	Colorectal cancer and Lung cancer	It can be elevated in non-cancerous conditions as well.
Cancer antigen 125 (CA 125)	Ovarian cancer	Levels may rise due to endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease.
Cancer antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9)	Pancreatic cancer and other Gastrointestinal Cancers	It is not specific to pancreatic cancer; it can be elevated in other conditions.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA)	Prostate cancer	Levels can be affected by benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostatitis.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)	Testicular cancer and Gestational Trophoblastic Diseases	Elevated in pregnancy; used to monitor certain cancers.
Cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3)	Breast cancer	Can also be elevated in other malignancies and benign conditions.
Thyroglobulin	Thyroid cancer	Used to monitor for recurrence after thyroid cancer treatment.

Health365 offers a variety of health screening packages including tumour marker tests for early cancer detection. Explore our options and find the right screening package for your needs here.

Other Advanced Cancer Screening Tests Available In Singapore

GASTROClear™ For Stomach Cancer Screening

GASTROClear by MiRXES is a stomach cancer blood test – the first of its kind in the world designed to detect stomach cancer in individuals who may not yet be experiencing any symptoms. GASTROClear is the result of an international collaboration led by the Singapore Gastric Cancer Consortium (SGCC) and involved researchers and clinicians from Singapore and South Korea. By analysing a small blood sample, GASTROClear can provide information about your risk of developing stomach cancer, categorising it as low, moderate or high.

GASTROClear measures the levels of 12 microRNAs in the serum that are produced by stomach cancer cells. By using GASTROClear, doctors can assess a patient’s risk of stomach cancer even before symptoms become apparent.

Browse for GASTROClear packages here.

LucenceINSIGHT™ For Cancer Screening

LucenceINSIGHT™ is a multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tool that screens for the signal of multiple cancers in one simple blood draw. It leverages proprietary technology to identify cancer-associated alterations in the bloodstream. The result is cross examined with machine-learning to study the cancer signal profile and provide insights on where the cancer-associated alterations might have originated from.

LucenceINSIGHT is recommended for individuals aged 40 and above or those with an elevated risk of cancer, such as a family history of cancer, diet, lifestyle factors, and more. However, it is not suitable for individuals who are pregnant or those with a history of cancer within the past three years.

There are 50 cancer types* covered by LucenceINSIGHT™ PLUS. LucenceINSIGHT™ covers 12 cancers which includes common cancers in Singapore such as Breast Cancer, Liver Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Pacreatic Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, and Prostate Cancer. The LucenceINSIGHT test is priced at S$2,560, while the more comprehensive LucenceINSIGHT Plus is available for S$3,600. Prices exclude GST.

SPOT-MAS By Gene Solutions

SPOT-MAS by Gene Solution is a non-invasive multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test that identifies circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood. By leveraging next-generation sequencing (NGS) and AI technologies, this test analyzes the methylation profile and various characteristics of ctDNA, allowing for the early detection of the 10 most common and aggressive cancers such as stomach, liver, ovary, pancreas, and uterus from just a single blood sample.

Cancer Marker Testing And Early Detection Of Cancer

Cancer marker testing, together with other tests, can assist doctors to diagnose cancer and determine the treatment strategy for a patient. The reasons for, the timing of, and the frequency of these tests vary widely from person to person. In some circumstances, they may be used to assist in screening for a specific type of cancer in asymptomatic individuals who have a high risk of developing the illness.

Doctors will mostly test for tumour markers to:

Choose the treatment or combination of treatments that will be most effective for a particular form of cancer for a particular patient.
Assess the efficacy of a treatment.
Identify a patent’s likelihood of recovery.
Estimate the likelihood that cancer will return after therapy, and to identify if it does return.

Many clinics in Singapore offer health screening packages that include blood tests for tumour markers. These may help at risk individuals increase the chance of early detection and treatment.

Limitations Of Cancer Marker Tests

Tumour marker testing is a useful tool, but it nonetheless has limitations. In respect of detection and diagnosis of cancer, the limitations include:

The possibility of false-positives, as there are other conditions that may also give rise to tumour markers.
False-negatives, if the tumour maker level does not go up until after the cancer has become advanced, or if the patient has unusually low marker levels even with the presence of cancer.
Some cancers not having known tumour markers, or have markers that cannot be found with tests that are currently available.

Thus, due to the possibility for false-negatives, even if a test does not indicate elevated presence of tumour markers, people should nonetheless remain vigilant and be mindful if they observe the presence of any cancer symptoms.