title: The value of squamous cell carcinoma antigen in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
abstract: Serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma antigen were measured in 688 samples from 119 patients with cervical cancer. Ninety-seven patients had primary tumors and 22 had recurrent disease. Serum samples were obtained before each cycle of chemotherapy, before surgery, at least 4 weeks after surgery, and at 2- to 3-month intervals during follow-up from 78 of the patients with locally advanced cervical cancer who were receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Squamous cell carcinoma antigen serum levels were elevated (greater than 2.5 ng/ml) in 71% of the patients with primary tumors and in 77% of the patients with recurrent carcinomas. The percentage of positivity increased significantly with stage (p = 0.03) and was higher in squamous cell tumors than in adenocarcinomas (p less than 0.001). Pretreatment squamous cell carcinoma antigen levels were not predictive of neoadjuvant chemotherapy response; however, the serial measurement during chemotherapy showed a good correlation with clinical response. In the patients who had surgery, squamous cell carcinoma antigen positivity did not correlate to pathologic findings (lymph node status, cervical and parametrial infiltration). Disease-free survival was significantly longer in patients with squamous cell carcinoma antigen pretreatment values that were lower than 5 ng/ml, compared with patients with marker higher than 5 ng/ml (p less than 0.01). Abnormal squamous cell carcinoma antigen serum levels preceded the clinical detection of recurrence in eight of 11 patients with a median lead time of 5 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Catholic University, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scambia
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Panici
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baiocchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amoroso
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Foti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Greggi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mancuso
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D015843:Serpins; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015843:Serpins; C051072:squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen