[Early detection and follow-up of solid tumors]. / Früherfassung und Verlaufskontrolle solider Tumoren.

ABSTRACT

The early recognition of solid tumours as presymptomatic diagnostics is only reasonable, when it leads to a gain of survival time and survival rate. The evidence of effectiveness by randomized studies (apart from carcinoma of the cervix) was proved up to now only for the carcinoma of the breast (mammography) and the carcinoma of the colon (occult blood in the stools). The target-specific screening within well defined risk groups is to be recommended, when the subsequent chain of investigations and the therapy chain is ascertained. For the control of the course increasingly tumour markers are used including monoclonal antibodies against tumour-associated antigens.