Male breast cancer is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the male breast. Though breast cancer affects women much more commonly, it can also occur in men. Causes, diagnosis, and treatment of male breast cancer are generally similar to that in females. However, breast cancer in men is rare in comparison with female […]
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin – Structure, Function, Test and Uses
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced during pregnancy by the placenta. It provides nourishment to the egg after it has been fertilized and attached to the uterine wall. HCG is used to detect pregnancy as well as to monitor it. It is also elevated in certain cancers, hence is used as a tumor […]
PSA or Prostate Specific Antigen – Structure, Function and Uses
Prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, is a glycoprotein enzyme produced by prostate gland. It. It is a marker of prostate cell activity and is present in small quantities in the serum of all healthy men. Blood levels of prostate specific antigen are raised in men having prostatic infection and prostate cancer or other prostatic disorders. It […]
Alpha-fetoprotein – Structure Function and Uses
Alpha-fetoprotein or AFP is a plasma glycoprotein found in humans. It is the most abundant plasma protein synthesized by the human fetus. It is produced mainly by the fetal liver and yolk sac during fetal development. Although synthesis drops markedly after birth, small amounts of alpha-fetoprotein continue to be produced in the adult. AFP levels […]
Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical and Vaginal Cytology
Bethesda system is a system for reporting cervical and vaginal cytology or Pap smear results. It was developed during a workshop sponsored by the National Cancer Institute at Bethesda, Maryland in the United States. It was first introduced in 1988 and later revised in 1991 and 2001. The primary objective of this system was to […]
Tumor – Causes, Types and Treatment
A tumor is a new growth of tissue (a mass). The tumor is also called neoplasm. But there is a slight difference between the usage. A neoplasm is an abnormal new growth of cells which could be benign or malignant (cancerous) growths. A tumor in an ideal situation is a synonym for neoplasm. But its […]