[Tumor markers in some chronic inflammatory diseases in rheumatology: a statistical evaluation].
BACKGROUND
Since tumor markers can be high in the course of many inflammatory diseases, the aim of this study is to verify if it also occurs in the course of rheumathologic chronic inflammatory diseases, and if there is any statistical correlation between tumor markers and inflammatory indices.


METHODS
Seventy-nine patients (51 females and 28 males) with rheumatologic chronic inflammatory diseases, aged 17-92 years, were studied, all of them took 4 mg of prednisone. alphaFP, CEA, TPA, CA19.9, CA15.3, CA72.4, CA125, ferritina, beta2 microglobuling, betaHCG, and free and total PSA in males, were evaluated as tumor markers; and VES, PCR and Fibrinogen, as inflammatory indices.


RESULTS
The results obtained showed that there is a significative correlation between ferritin, beta2 microglobulin, TPA and PCR, and between free and total PSA and Fibrinogen.


CONCLUSIONS
PCR is a very good index of an active disease and it can be helpful, along with tumor markers, in the monitoring of chronic inflammatory diseases.
D'Amore
M
M
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Medicina Pubblica, Università degli Studi, Bari, Italy.
Marrone
M
M
Laselva
G
G
D'Amore
S
S
Morrone
L F
LF
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005819:Genetic Markers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein