title: Prognostic significance of serum tumour markers in carcinoma of the cervix.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose was to evaluate the prognostic significance of serum tumour markers and other potential prognostic factors in cervical cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred and thirty-one patients with cervical cancer were studied. The pre-treatment levels of SCC (squamous cell carcinoma antigen), TPA (tissue polypeptide antigen), CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), CA125 and hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) were assayed in these patients. Possible association between raised tumour markers and potential prognostic factors and their prognostic significance were sought by univariate and multivariate Cox analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SCC was raised in 65% of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix and TPA was raised in 50%. Other markers were raised in less than 25%. No tumour markers were raised more than 30% in adenocarcinoma of the cervix. Raised SCC and TPA were related to advancing age, stage and grade of differentiation. Univariate analysis showed that age, stage, grade, raised SCC and TPA were significant prognostic factors on survival. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that stage was the most significant factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stage, age, grade of differentiation, raised pre-treatment levels of SCC and TPA were significant prognostic factors in cervical cancer using univariate analysis. However, only stage remains the most important independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis. The prognostic value of these other factors in early stage disease needs further exploration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Ngan
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Lauder
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor