Calcitonin

This is a test that measures the amount of the hormone calcitonin in the blood. Calcitonin is secreted by the C cells of the thyroid gland, it controls how the body uses calcium. Calcitonin is a type of tumor marker, if too much calcitonin is found in the blood, it can be a sign of thyroid cancer.

This test is prescribed in case of the following symptoms of thyroid disease like a lump in the front of the neck, swollen lymph nodes, pain in the throat or neck, and trouble swallowing. The calcitonin test is primarily used to diagnose C-cell hyperplasia and medullary thyroid cancer, determine treatment efficacy, and monitor recurrence of thyroid cancer.

If the calcitonin levels are high, it can be indicative of medullary thyroid cancer, other types of cancer also lead to high calcitonin levels including breast, lungs, and pancreas.