The present invention describes a method for determining whether an individual is suffering from cancer by determining a parameter representing the TIMP-1 concentration in body fluid samples from the individual.The present invention furthermore describes a method for determining whether an individual is suffering from minimal residual disease or recurrent cancer after being treated for the primary cancer by determining a parameter representing the post-operative TIMP-1 concentration in body fluid samples from the individual. In addition, the invention describes the additive effect of combined post-operative measurements of plasma TIMP-1 and serum CEA.