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A beta HCG total quantitative tumour marker test is used by doctors to diagnose and manage cancerous conditions. Some of the most commonly diagnosed conditions using the BHCG test are gestational trophoblastic neoplasia and other germ cell tumour cancers like ovarian and testicular cancer.
Though the beta HCG quantitative tumour marker test can help doctors monitor cancerous diseases in patients, an elevated level of HCG in the blood is not enough to independently diagnose malignant cancerous conditions.
Beta-HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone produced by the placenta when women get pregnant. In non-pregnant women and men the presence of this hormone indicates a higher risk of conditions like ovarian and testicular cancer.
A beta HCG tumour marker test is prescribed by doctors when the symptoms of the patient match condition like germ cell tumours or gestational trophoblastic disease. This test is not used as a general screening test and is only ordered based on symptomatic diagnosis.
For patients who already have gestational trophoblastic disease or germ cell tumours, the beta HCG tumour marker test is used to monitor disease progression and treatment efficacy. The beta HCG quantitative tumour marker test is also used as a management measure to monitor the risk of recurrence for these cancer types.
Recurrence is a common risk for these types of cancer and as such, regular testing may be required to ensure patients are risk free.
As a tumour marker test, the goal of beta HCG total quantitative tumour marker test is to understand the cause behind increased levels of HCG in the body. Normally, the levels of HCG in men and non-pregnant women are untraceable.
The normal range of a beta HCG quantitative test is less than 15 ng/ml. Any result over that for men and non-pregnant women could indicate a higher risk of ovarian and testicular cancer. For pregnant women high levels of HCG could be a sign of gestational trophoblastic disease.
For a BHCG test, blood is drawn from the patient's veins and sent for testing. No special prerequisites are required for this test. However, it's important to note that biotin (Vitamin B7), a water-soluble vitamin in the B-complex group, can interfere with immunoassay tests. To mitigate potential interference, patients taking biotin doses greater than 5,000 mcg should wait at least 8 hours after their last biotin administration before a sample is taken.