Hyperferritinemia as a tumor marker

The level of serum ferritin is elevated in many malignant tumors. Ferritin concentration in serum should be considered a clinically useful tumor marker representing a significant and simple parameter for disease activity monitoring.
Aim of the work is to present a clinical case of a 74-year-old female patient with a diagnosis of “bone and lung metastases without primary tumor, stage IV, 2nd clinical group” (per the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision: С79.5. Secondary malignant neoplasm of bone and bone marrow), determine diagnostic and prognostic value of ferritin levels in some types of cancer.
Due to worsening condition in the form of increased fatigue, bone pain, food refusal, the patient sought a consultation with an oncologist and was referred for hospitalization in a therapy unit with the main diagnosis of “D50.9. Iron deficiency anemia, unspecified” and concomitant diagnosis of “Kaposi’s sarcoma of the skin?” Biochemical blood work showed high ferritin levels. The presented clinical case demonstrated high diagnostic and prognostic value of ferritin level as not only iron depot but also as an acute phase protein. It is known that aberrant ferritin expression is associated with various malignant neoplasms, and high ferritin levels accompany severe diseases. In the case of our patient, the increase in this parameter showed progression of oncological process.