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Abstract
Some general aspects of the present role of serum tumour markers in clinical practice are discussed. The potential use of the described markers is hampered by the facts that the production of the markers is neither confined to the malignant tumour cell nor connected to the malignant phenotype.
The main conclusions are: Serum tumour markers are not applicable as screening tests. Serum tumour markers can be of diagnostic value in some clinical situations, and have prognostic value in a few malignant tumours. The greatest value, still not fully exploited, is in the assessment of therapy in advanced disease. The true importance of the serum tumour markers can only be tested in carefully designed, prospective and randomized clinical trials.