Three automated assays that will allow laboratories to provide information to aid the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer patients have been added to the extensive Roche assay menu.
As part of the portfolio of tests for the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with thyroid cancer, the next-generation Roche Elecsys Tg II automated assay offers improved sensitivity and precision. Thyroglobulin (Tg) testing is used in post-operative follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).
The automated Elecsys Calcitonin assay is another important tool that addresses clinical need in thyroid health management. A medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is identified in up to 10% of all thyroid carcinoma patients, and MTCs produce elevated serum calcitonin levels that can be diagnosed with an exceptional degree of accuracy and specificity by the Elecsys Calcitonin assay.
The third assay aids in the differential diagnosis of lung cancer and management of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. Progastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) is elevated in 68–86% of patients with SCLC, quantitative determination of ProGRP in human serum and plasma using the fully automated Elecsys ProGRP assay can provide essential information for rapid patient management.
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