[Primary small-cell bronchial cancer: value of serum tumor markers in the prognostic evaluation].
TUMOR MARKERS: We reviewed the biomedical literature searching for the most well-documented serum markers with prognostic value independent of the usual radioclinical and histological parameters of small cell lung cancer.
Neuron specific enolase (NSE) would have a pretherapeutic prognostic value better than LDH (lacto-dehydrogenase) and perhaps better than serum sodium, biocarbonates, and uric acid. The superiority of NSE over serum albumin remains to be proven. Although there are only a few reports, TK (thymine kinase), TPA (tissue polypeptide antigen), Cyfra 21-1 and/or IL-2 (interleukin-2) secretion might have better pretherapeutic prognostic value than NSE. We also found that iterative blood assays to follow therapeutic effects in patients with small-cell lung cancer have not been proven to provide independent prognostic information.


CONCLUSIONS
As medical laboratory resources must be concentrated on priority exploitable assays, the currently available data would suggest that it is not necessary to routinely measure serum tumor markers, and in particular NSE, for the prognostic evaluation of small-cell lung cancer patients.
Watine
J
J
Laboratoire de Biologie Polyvalente, Hôpital Général, Rodez.
Charet
J C
JC
D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000097:blood; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000097:blood; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood
D001639:Bicarbonates; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014527:Uric Acid; D012964:Sodium; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase