Diagnostic value of tumoural markers in pleural effusions.
The aim was to reassess the diagnostic value of tumour markers such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen (CA) 15-3, CA 19-9 and CA 72-4 in the pleural fluid of various diseases, both in benign and malignant. Eighty-one patients (41 malignant and 40 benign pleural effusion) were included in this study. The effusion levels of CEA, CA 15-3, CA 19-9 and CA 72-4 were assayed with commercial enzyme immunoassays. CEA, CA 15-3, CA 19-9 and CA 72-4 mean pleural effusion fluid levels in malignant group were found to be significantly higher than that in benign group, but CA 19-9 mean pleural effusion fluid levels of malignant and benign group were similar. It was of interest to evaluate the prediction of the origin by pleural tumour markers. In pleurisies with a negative cytology, these assays are particularly useful when the clinical presentation cannot clearly exclude an underlying malignancy.
Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Karaman Tuberculosis Centre, Turkey. ustunhtr@hotmail.com
Hasan
H
Ustün
Ali
A
Borazan
Nesrin
N
Bilgiçli
Ahmet
A
Yilmaz
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor