title: Sensitivity and specificity of single and combined tumour markers in the diagnosis of leptomeningeal metastasis from breast cancer.
abstract: The clinical efficacy of four laboratory tests in detecting leptomeningeal metastases in 57 patients with breast carcinoma was assessed. The sensitivity and specificity of beta-glucuronidase, beta 2-microglobulin, carcinoembryonic antigen and lactate dehydrogenase in cerebrospinal fluid were determined. As a single test beta-glucuronidase was the most sensitive (93%) and specific (93%) for discriminating between leptomeningeal metastases and other CNS metastases from breast cancer. Lactate dehydrogenase was the next most useful marker. Both beta 2-microglobulin and carcinoembryonic antigen had a sensitivity of 60%. More specific results were achieved by combining beta-glucuronidase and lactate dehydrogenase. CSF beta-glucuronidase may be useful by itself and in combination with lactate dehydrogenase in the detection of leptomeningeal metastases from breast carcinoma.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001099:Arachnoid; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010841:Pia Mater; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D005966:Glucuronidase