High-Yield Tumor Markers for FMGE & NEET PG 2025
Are you preparing for FMGE or NEET PG 2025? Tumor markers are one of those high-yield topics that seem simple on the surface but often show up in tricky questions. Whether you’re revising at 2 AM with a cup of coffee or flipping through notes just before the exam, having a handy and well-understood list of tumor markers can be a real lifesaver.
Let’s break down
What are Tumor Markers?
Tumor markers are proteins that are produced by cancer cells. These markers can be found in blood, urine, or tissues like In biopsies
Note – not all markers are specific or sensitive. That’s why, in clinical practice, tumor markers are used in combination with imaging and histopathology, and symptoms.
But for FMGE and NEET PG, knowing which tumor marker is associated with which cancer is great for you to have direct score in the exam
Why Tumor Markers Are Exam Favorites. Below are some examples:
- Direct MCQs: “Which tumor marker is elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma?”
- Image-based MCQs: Match the tumor histology with its marker.
- Clinical Case Questions: “A patient with elevated PSA and bony metastasis most likely has…?”
- High-yield revision: easy to memorize and quick to revise just before the exam.
Important Tumor Markers You Must Know for FMGE/NEET PG 2025
Brain Tumors
- GFAP (Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein)—Astrocytomas & Glioblastoma
- Synaptophysin, Chromogranin—Neuroendocrine tumors, including small cell carcinomas of the brain and lung
Hematologic Malignancies
- CD Markers
- CD20 – B-cell lymphomas
- CD3 – T-cell neoplasms
- CD15 & CD30 – Classical Hodgkin lymphoma
- Beta-2 Microglobulin – Multiple Myeloma, Lymphomas
- TdT – Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
Germ Cell Tumors
- AFP (Alpha-fetoprotein) – Yolk sac tumor of testis,HCC (Hepatocellular carcinoma)
- β-hCG (Beta Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) – Choriocarcinoma, Testicular cancer
- LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase) – usually increased in seminomas
- Schiller dual body – yolk sac tumour of testis (it is an histological founding)
Neuroendocrine Tumors
- Chromogranin A – Carcinoid tumor or small cell lung carcinoma
- Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE) – Neuroblastoma, Small cell lung carcinoma
- 5-HIAA (5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid) –Found in urine in patients of Carcinoid syndrome
Lung Cancer
- NSE (neuron-specific-enolase), chromogranin A – Small cell carcinoma of lung
- CEA – Adenocarcinoma of lung
- Cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) – Squamous cell carcinoma of lung
Breast Cancer
- CA 15-3 & CA 27-29 – Breast cancer (used for monitoring)
- HER2/neu (c-erbB2) – Aggressive breast cancers (important for trastuzumab therapy)
- Estrogen/Progesterone Receptor (ER/PR) – Predict hormone therapy response. (If these comes positive the prognosis is better)
Gastrointestinal Cancers
- CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) – Colorectal cancer, Pancreatic, Gastric cancers
- CA 19-9 – Pancreatic cancer, also elevated in some cases of cholangiocarcinoma
- CA 72-4 – Gastric cancer (especially in combination with CEA)
Liver Tumors
- AFP – Hepatocellular carcinoma
Prostate Cancer
- PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) – used for Screening, diagnosis, and monitoring
- Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP) – Old marker, not frequently asked topic.
Ovarian Tumors
- CA 125 – Epithelial ovarian cancer
- Inhibin – Granulosa cell tumor
- AFP & β-hCG – Germ cell tumors
- LDH – Dysgerminoma
- CA 19-9 – Can also be elevated in mucinous ovarian tumors
Quick Mnemonics to Help You Remember
- AFP = A for Abdomen (Liver, Yolk sac tumor)
- β-hCG = H for Hydatidiform mole, High testicular tumors
- CA 125 = O for Ovary
- PSA = P for Prostate
- CEA = C for Colon
Final Tips before You Head into Exam Mode
- Don’t try to cram all tumor markers at once. Instead, group them by systems or tumors.
- Focus on the common ones—AFP, β-hCG, PSA, CA-125, CEA, and CA 19-9 – they show up most of the time.
- Make a one-page flashcard with all these markers or you can use Nextillo’s feature OTOP which includes one topic one page Hang it above your desk.
- Practice clinical case MCQs and solve last 5 years previous year questions
Final Thoughts
Tumor markers can be your trick to go for FMGE and NEET PG if you spend just a little time memorizing and understanding. Don’t treat it as a dry list to memorize—think of them as clues your body gives you about what might be happening inside.
With just a few focused revisions and active recall, you’ll find that tumor marker questions are actually among the highest-scoring ones in the exam. So go ahead, conquer this topic, and let those MCQs be your stepping stones to cracking the exam.
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