title: Diagnostic value of tumor markers for differentiating malignant and benign pleural effusions of Iranian patients.
abstract: In order to evaluate the diagnostic yield of tumor markers in differentiating malignant and benign pleural effusions, we carried out a prospective study in a group of Iranian people. Pleural and serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) were assayed prospectively in patients with pleural effusion (40 malignant and 37 benign). The highest sensitivity was obtained with a combination of CA 15-3 in serum, and CA 15-3 and CEA in pleural fluid (80%), also with combination of CA 15-3 in serum, and CA 15-3, NSE and CEA in pleural fluid (80%). The highest specificity was obtained with combination of CA 15-3 in serum, and CA 15-3 and NSE in pleural fluid (100%), and also with combination of CA 15-3 in serum, and CA15-3, NSE and CEA in pleural fluid (100%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. ghayyoumim@sums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Sied Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ghayumi
authors.forename: Samrad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehrabi
authors.forename: Mehrnossh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doroudchi
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghaderi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D018396:Mucin-1; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase