title: Serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma antigen as a predictor of inguinofemoral lymph node metastasis in patients with vulvar cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the predictive value of preoperatively determined squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) serum levels for the risk of inguinofemoral lymph node metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective trial, preoperative serum levels of SCC-Ag in 29 patients with invasive squamous cell vulvar cancer (pT1 + 2) were evaluated and compared with nodal status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty patients had negative inguinofemoral nodes, whereas in nine an inguinofemoral lymph node metastasis could be observed. The median SCC-Ag in women with negative nodes was 1.3 micrograms/L (0.2-11.5) and with positive nodes, 2.7 micrograms/L (0.4-9.1) (P = .35).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurement of the serum level of SCC-Ag cannot be used for preoperative evaluation of the risk of lymph node metastasis in patients with clinically localized tumors since there is a significant overlap between both cohorts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Vienna General Hospital, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. andreas.nather@univie.ac.at
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nather
authors.forename: Ariane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sami
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hefler
authors.forename: Sepp
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leodolter
authors.forename: Elmar A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Joura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007264:Inguinal Canal / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015843:Serpins; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015843:Serpins; C051072:squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen