Cancer
Biomarker
ELISA
Quantitative ELISA kits for soluble tumour biomarkers, angiogenesis markers, invasion and metastasis proteins, tumour hypoxia, and cancer stem cell markers - spanning 16+ tumour types and 200+ targets. Human, Mouse, and Rat validated. ISO 13485 manufactured.
Browse Assay Table Biomarker ScienceSoluble Cancer Biomarkers - Why ELISA
IHC establishes protein expression in tissue - ELISA quantifies soluble biomarkers in circulation. Many cancer-associated proteins are shed, secreted, or cleaved from cell surfaces into serum, plasma, ascites fluid, or urine, where they are measurable at nanogram-to-picogram concentrations. Quantitative ELISA of these soluble forms enables non-invasive longitudinal monitoring of tumour burden, disease progression, therapy response, and metastatic spread - applications that tissue-based methods cannot address.
Cancer biomarkers serve distinct roles depending on clinical context. Understanding the category your target falls into determines the right assay format and statistical interpretation.
| Cancer Type | Primary Diagnostic | Prognostic / PD Markers | Therapy-Linked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lung (NSCLC) | - | VEGF - MMP2 - HIF-1a | sPD-L1 - sPD-1 |
| Breast | sHER2 ECD | VEGF - E-Cadherin - ALDH1A1 | sHER2 - sPD-L1 |
| Colorectal | CEA - AFP | VEGF - MMP9 - STAT3 | VEGF - sPD-1 |
| Prostate | PSA - PSMA | VEGF - STAT3 | PSMA - sPD-L1 |
| Ovarian | CA-125 - HE4 | VEGF - IL-6 - Mesothelin | VEGF - sPD-L1 |
| Pancreatic | CA 19-9 - Mesothelin | VEGF - HIF-1a - MMP2 | CD40 - sPD-L1 |
| Hepatocellular | AFP | VEGF - MMP9 - TGF--1 | VEGF - sPD-1 |
Validated ELISA by Tumour Type
Core soluble biomarker ELISA for the six most researched solid tumour types. All kits validated in human serum and plasma; mouse and rat reactivity available for the majority of targets for use in xenograft and syngeneic pre-clinical models.
VEGF (KB1155) is the primary angiogenesis marker and bevacizumab combination target. Soluble PD-L1 (KBBA52) and PD-1 (KBBA50) are predictive biomarkers for pembrolizumab eligibility in NSCLC. HIF-1a elevation marks hypoxic tumours with upregulated PD-L1 and poor prognosis. MMP2 quantifies invasive and metastatic potential.
Soluble HER2 ECD (extracellular domain) is shed into serum during HER2+ disease and is measurable as a treatment response biomarker. VEGF and VEGFR2 drive angiogenesis in all subtypes. ALDH1A1 marks cancer stem cell populations particularly relevant in TNBC. E-Cadherin loss is the key EMT event in metastatic lobular carcinoma.
CEA is the primary serum biomarker for CRC surveillance and treatment monitoring. VEGF (KB1155) is the bevacizumab and ramucirumab target; VEGFR2 (KBH4535) is the ramucirumab receptor. MMP9 marks invasive capacity and correlates with liver metastasis risk. STAT3 (KBH0650) downstream of IL-6 drives cetuximab resistance.
PSA is the most widely used serum biomarker for prostate cancer detection and post-treatment monitoring. PSMA expression increases with tumour grade and is the target for 177Lu-PSMA-617 RLT. Soluble VEGF is significantly elevated in prostatic carcinoma vs benign hyperplasia. STAT3 and IL-6 drive castration-resistant progression in mCRPC.
CA-125 (MUC16) is the primary serum biomarker for ovarian cancer monitoring and recurrence detection. HE4 is used alongside CA-125 in the ROMA algorithm for early detection. VEGF-A is the bevacizumab target in ICON7/GOG-0218 - measurable in ascites and serum. Mesothelin is elevated in HGSC and is an emerging therapeutic target.
CA 19-9 and Mesothelin are the primary serum biomarkers for PDAC. AFP distinguishes hepatoid PDAC from conventional adenocarcinoma. VEGF and HIF-1a mark the extensively vascularised and hypoxic stroma of PDAC. IL-6 and STAT3 signalling promotes tumour cell survival and resistance to chemotherapy in the PDAC microenvironment.
VEGF & Angiogenesis Biomarker ELISA
Tumour angiogenesis - driven primarily by VEGF - is required for tumours to grow beyond 1-2 mm- and is the mechanism exploited by bevacizumab, ramucirumab, and multi-kinase inhibitors. Krishgen's VEGF ELISA (KB1155) is one of the most widely cited assays in the catalogue, available in 7+ species for seamless translation from pre-clinical models to clinical samples.
Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is the primary driver of tumour neovascularisation. Serum VEGF is elevated in most solid tumours and correlates with tumour stage, metastatic spread, and poor prognosis. It is the direct target of bevacizumab and the upstream driver of ramucirumab target VEGFR2.
VEGFR2 (KDR/Flk-1) is the primary signalling receptor for VEGF-A on endothelial cells, mediating proliferation, migration, and vascular permeability. It is the direct target of ramucirumab and is overexpressed on tumour vasculature. Soluble VEGFR2 in serum serves as a pharmacodynamic biomarker for anti-angiogenic therapy.
MMP2 (gelatinase A) and MMP9 (gelatinase B) degrade collagen IV in the basement membrane and extracellular matrix, enabling tumour invasion and contributing to angiogenesis by releasing VEGF from ECM reservoirs. Elevated serum MMP2 and MMP9 correlate with metastatic disease and poor prognosis across lung, breast, colorectal, and ovarian cancers.
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition & Invasion Biomarkers
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a staged process in which tumour cells lose epithelial polarity and acquire an invasive mesenchymal phenotype - the critical first step in distant metastasis. Quantitative ELISA of soluble EMT markers in serum and plasma enables non-invasive monitoring of metastatic potential without repeated tumour sampling.
E-Cadherin maintains cell-cell adhesion at epithelial junctions. Loss of E-Cadherin expression is the canonical hallmark of EMT onset - triggered by transcription factors Snail, Slug, Twist, and ZEB1 downstream of TGF--, Wnt, and hypoxia. Soluble E-Cadherin fragments are shed into circulation and detectable by ELISA in breast, gastric, and colorectal cancer patients. Correlates with metastatic lobular breast carcinoma and lymph node involvement.
Vimentin is a type III intermediate filament protein characteristic of mesenchymal cells. Its expression is upregulated as E-Cadherin is downregulated during EMT. Elevated serum Vimentin correlates with advanced disease stage, lymph node metastasis, and reduced survival in lung, breast, and gastric cancers. Often used as the paired readout alongside E-Cadherin for a complete EMT biomarker assessment.
HIF-1a, ALDH1A1, CD44 & CD133 ELISA
Tumour hypoxia and cancer stem cell (CSC) biology are mechanistically linked - HIF-1a drives CSC maintenance, while CSC populations are preferentially located in hypoxic tumour niches. Both pathways drive therapy resistance, immune evasion, and tumour recurrence. Quantitative serum/plasma ELISA for these targets enables tracking of these aggressive phenotypes longitudinally without biopsy.
HIF-1a (Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1-alpha) is the master transcription factor activated when tumour oxygen levels fall below ~1% (severe hypoxia). It drives expression of VEGF (angiogenesis), GLUT1 (metabolic reprogramming), and PD-L1 (immune evasion) - three of the most targetable pathways in oncology. Serum HIF-1a elevation correlates with advanced tumour stage and poor prognosis in NSCLC, RCC, breast, and pancreatic cancer. HIF-1a ELISA is validated in human serum and plasma; mouse reactivity available for pre-clinical models.
ALDH1A1 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1) is a functional CSC marker - its enzymatic activity protects stem-like cells from oxidative damage and chemotherapy. Elevated in breast, lung, and colorectal CSC subpopulations. CD44 is a cell surface glycoprotein upregulated on CSCs across most solid tumour types; soluble CD44 in serum correlates with metastatic disease. CD133 (Prominin-1) marks CSC populations in colorectal, glioblastoma, HCC, and ovarian cancer and is strongly associated with chemotherapy resistance and tumour recurrence. All three available as ELISA in Human.
Cancer Biomarker ELISA - Full Table
All key cancer biomarker ELISA with species availability. Contact info@krishgen.com for catalogue numbers, pricing, and validation data.
| Category | Biomarker | Clinical Role | Species | Assay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angiogenesis | VEGF-A Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor | Bevacizumab target - Prognosis across solid tumours | Hu - Mo - Ra - Porcine - Bovine - Equine | KB1155 |
| Angiogenesis | VEGFR2 KDR / Flk-1 | Ramucirumab target - Anti-angiogenic PD marker | Hu - Mo - Ra - Rabbit | KBH4535 |
| Angiogenesis | MMP2 Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 | ECM invasion - Metastatic potential - Angiogenesis | Hu - Mo - Ra | Contact us |
| Angiogenesis | MMP9 Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 | Liver metastasis risk (CRC) - VEGF release from ECM | Hu - Mo - Ra | Contact us |
| Breast | HER2 ECD Soluble ErbB2 / HER2 | Treatment response monitoring - Trastuzumab eligibility | Human | Contact us |
| Colorectal | CEA Carcinoembryonic Antigen | CRC surveillance - Post-surgical monitoring | Human | Contact us |
| Liver / CRC | AFP Alpha-Fetoprotein | HCC diagnosis - Hepatoid tumour marker | Hu - Mo - Ra | Contact us |
| Prostate | PSA Prostate Specific Antigen | Prostate cancer screening - Post-treatment monitoring | Human | Contact us |
| Prostate | PSMA Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen | RLT target - mCRPC grading - High-grade disease | Human | Contact us |
| Ovarian | CA-125 / MUC16 | Primary ovarian cancer biomarker - Recurrence monitoring | Human | Contact us |
| Ovarian | HE4 Human Epididymis Protein 4 | ROMA algorithm (with CA-125) - Early detection | Human | Contact us |
| Ovarian / Pancreatic | Mesothelin | PDAC - HGSC - Mesothelioma - ADC target | Human | Contact us |
| Signalling | STAT3 Signal Transducer & Activator | IL-6 signalling - Cetuximab resistance - CRPC | Hu - Porcine | KBH0650 |
| EMT | E-Cadherin CDH1 | EMT onset - Metastatic lobular breast cancer | Human | Contact us |
| EMT | Vimentin VIM | Mesenchymal transition - Invasion / metastasis | Human | Contact us |
| Hypoxia | HIF-1a Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1-alpha | Hypoxia response - VEGF/PD-L1 induction - Poor prognosis | Hu - Mouse | Contact us |
| Cancer Stem Cells | ALDH1A1 Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1A1 | CSC functional marker - Breast - Lung - CRC | Human | Contact us |
| Cancer Stem Cells | CD44 Cluster of Differentiation 44 | Stemness - Metastasis marker - Solid tumours | Human | Contact us |
| Cancer Stem Cells | CD133 Prominin-1 | Therapy resistance - CRC - GBM - HCC - Ovarian | Human | Contact us |
Common Questions About Cancer Biomarker ELISA
Can't Find Your Cancer Target?
Krishgen manufactures 20,000+ ELISA across 10+ species. Contact our team to find an existing assay or discuss custom development for your specific biomarker and matrix.
