title: CYFRA 21-1 determination in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: clinical utility for detection of recurrences.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While there are reports that CYFRA 21-1 is a useful tumor marker, to our knowledge the clinical utility of this marker to detect recurrences for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus has not been addressed.
  
  
  METHODS
  By immunoradiometric assay, human serum levels of CYFRA 21-1, SCC antigen and CEA were measured in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients prior to their initial treatment. Monthly follow-ups of these tumor markers was done after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diagnostic sensitivity of CYFRA 21-1 was 43.9% (18 of 41), a value superior to that for SCC antigen (26.8%) and CEA (17.0%) (P < 0.05). The positive rates of CYFRA 21-1 increased with progression of the disease, 22.2% of pTNM Stage 0-IIA and 77.8% of pTNM Stage IIB/III (P = 0.013), whereas SCC antigen and CEA rates were not related to pTNM stage. Among 13 patients with clinical evidence of a recurrence, 76.9% (10 of 13) exhibited an increase in CYFRA 21-1, and this increase was evident before clinical detection of the recurrence in 9 of these 13 patients (69.2%). Consequently, postoperative elevations of serum CYFRA 21-1 levels were indicative of a tumor recurrence 1-13 months before acquisition of clinical and radiological data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The assay of CYFRA 21-1 is useful not only for diagnosis but also for close monitoring of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery II, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. hideto@surg2.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Egashira
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saeki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimachi
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D053539:Keratin-19; D007633:Keratins; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053539:Keratin-19; C102012:antigen CYFRA21.1; D007633:Keratins