title: [Squamous cell carcinoma antigen. Current clinical value of a new tumor marker in head and neck cancer; preliminary results of a prospective study after 12 months].
abstract: The serum SCC antigen levels of patients with head and neck tumours are being studied in a prospective study to evaluate their clinical relevance. Concentrations above 2 ng/ml are considered to be abnormal. Preliminary results of the study after a 12-month period including 167 patients are reported: In only 28% of the patients with actual carcinoma of the head and neck the serum levels were pathological (Fig. 6), most commonly in oropharyngeal tumours (nearly 50%). The incidence of abnormal SCC-antigen concentration only rarely increased with increasing tumour extension (Fig. 7), but to a considerably greater extent in well-differentiated than in poorly or non-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas (Fig. 8). Tendencies, but no statistically significant correlation, were found between the Karnofsky index and the serum levels (Fig. 9) - as well as between the time of remission after successful tumour treatment and decreasing serum concentrations (Fig. 10). At the time of recurrence of the tumour, SCC-antigen serum levels had not been able to predict the clinical recurrence (Fig. 11). Since the assessment of SCC-antigen concentration is neither highly specific nor sensitive, the usefulness of this tumour marker test must be--at least according to the present state of the art--regarded as rather low.
authors.affiliation: Univ-Hals-Nasen-Ohrenklinik und Poliklinik rechts der Isar (TU) München.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clasen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roettger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Senekowitsch
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Menz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015843:Serpins
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015843:Serpins; C051072:squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen
vernacular_title: Squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC). Derzeitige klinische Wertigkeit eines neuen Tumormarkers bei Kopf-Hals-Karzinomen, Zwischenergebnisse einer prospektiven Studie nach 12 Monaten.