Three Automated Assays for Cancer Diagnosis and Monitoring Launched

Three automated assays, which will provide clinicians with information to aid the diagnosis and monitoring of thyroid and lung cancer patients, have been added to an assay menu.

For the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with thyroid cancer, the next generation Elecsys Tg II automated assay offers improved sensitivity and precision. Thyroglobulin (Tg) testing is used in postoperative follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). After total thyroidectomy, detectable levels of serum Tg are indicative of persistent or recurrent DTC.

The automated Elecsys calcitonin assay is an important tool in thyroid health management. In up to 10% of all thyroid carcinoma patients, a medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is identified. MTC produce elevated serum concentrations of calcitonin, and it can be diagnosed with a high degree of accuracy and specificity by the Elecsys calcitonin assay. Consolidation of the Elecsys Tg II and Calcitonin assays on one automated platform allows the diagnosis of the majority of thyroid cancers.

The third assay to be added to the portfolio aids differential diagnosis in lung cancer and management of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. SCLC accounts for approximately 20% of lung cancer cases and is an aggressive neoplasm of rapid growth with high sensitivity to chemo- and radiotherapy. Progastrin-releasing Peptide (ProGRP) is elevated in 68–86% of patients with SCLC. Additionally, as there is often metastasis into regional lymph nodes and/or distant organs at the time of SCLC diagnosis, quantitative determination of ProGRP in human serum and plasma using the fully automated Elecsys ProGRP assay can provide essential information for rapid patient management.

These three assays were launched by Roche (Basel, Switzerland) as part of its assay portfolio.

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