title: Significance of the evaluation of the tissue proliferation specific marker (TPS) and the carcinoembryonal antigen (CEA) in patients with ulcerative colitis and adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our research was to evaluate TPS concentration as a marker of proliferative processes and the levels of CEA in children and adults with ulcerative colitis (UC) and in adults with colorectal adenocarcinoma (AC), to find out if there is any interdependence between TPS and CEA concentrations in these patients and to evaluate the usefulness of TPS as a marker of neoplastic risk in patients with UC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out in 3 groups of patients: Group I consisted of 15 children, ages 10-18, treated for UC; Group II, 22 adults, ages 23-40, treated for UC; and Group III, 14 patients, ages 40-60, in whom AC was diagnosed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Group II, the mean TPS concentration was significantly higher than in Group I (p<0.00001). In Group III, adults with AC, the mean TPS concentration was 1074.00+/-1356.87 U/l. Thus there was a statistically significant difference between TPS concentrations in adults with UC and adults with AC (p<0.00005). There was no statistically significant difference between CEA levels in children and adult groups with UC. However, a statistically significant difference occurred between CEA concentrations in children and adults with UC and the group of adults with AC (p<0.00001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It would appear that testing for TPS concentration in patients with UC is helpful in monitoring the proliferative process, whereas in patients with neoplastic processes it serves as a screening examination, enabling early detection of recurrences, full evaluation of neoplastic growth, and evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical University of Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ignyś
authors.forename: Zygmunt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kopczyński
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piatek
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D010455:Peptides; C089984:tissue polypeptide specific antigen