title: Serum cytokeratin 19 fragment levels in non-small cell lung cancer patients according to T factor in the TNM classification.
abstract: We examined changes in cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) levels in relation to the T factor in 64 non-small cell N2M0 lung cancer patients. Although a correlation between the levels and T factor was found (rho=0.627, p<0.0001), there was no difference between the levels in T3 and T4. Serum CYFRA 21-1 levels increased in the order of the following groups: the limited tumor group (T1+T2: n=28), the group with tumor extending to the pleura or chest wall (T3: n=13), and the group with tumor invading into the mediastinum (T4: n=12). The level was lower in the group with malignant pleural effusion (T4: n=11) than in the group with tumor invading into the mediastinum (6.7+/-4.7 ng/ml vs. 12.2+/-8.1 ng/ml, p=0.0046). We suspect that the presence of malignant pleural effusion is not directly related to the three-dimensional expansion of the tumor and this is a reason why CYFRA 21-1 levels in T4 are not higher than those in T3.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Taragi Municipal Hospital, 4210 Taragi-machi, Kuma-gun, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kashiwabara
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Esaki
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D053539:Keratin-19; D007633:Keratins; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D010996:Pleural Effusion; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D053539:Keratin-19; C102012:antigen CYFRA21.1; D007633:Keratins