Ferritin is a protein with a relatively large molecular weight and is the main storage form of iron. The upper limit of normal for ferritin measurement is 400ng/ml. Some tumors often increase and exceed this value. They are common in: acute leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, lung cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer and prostate cancer. Detecting ferritin has diagnostic value for liver metastatic tumors. 76% of patients with liver metastases have ferritin levels higher than 400ng/ml. Combined detection with AFP, especially in liver cancer patients with normal AFP, can improve the diagnostic rate. Elevated ferritin may be due to cell necrosis, blocked erythropoiesis, or increased synthesis in tumor tissue.

Measurement of ferritin is suitable for understanding the iron metabolism in the body. Testing ferritin in the early stage of treatment can reflect the iron reserves in the body at that time, and can early detect insufficient iron storage in the reticuloendothelial system. Clinically, a threshold of 20 ng/ml can effectively identify latent iron deficiency and indicate depletion of iron stores. Under normal circumstances, stored iron can be used for the synthesis of hemoglobin. If it is lower than 12ng/ml, it is judged as insufficient iron during the latent period. The above two measured values ??do not require further laboratory reference materials, even under normal conditions of blood cell morphology. If accompanied by microcytic hypochromic anemia, it can indicate iron deficiency. If the ferritin level is high, it excludes the possibility of abnormal iron supply, which reflects excess iron in the body.

Normal reference value:

Adult male: 30-400ng/ml

Adult female: 13-150ng/ml

Ferritin It is not a tumor-specific indicator.