title: Alpha-fetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen and beta2-microglobulin in adult population highly exposed to organochlorinated pollutants (PCB, DDE and HCB).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is aimed to obtain some general information about the prevalence of certain biomarkers in highly exposed population and on the interrelations between their serum level as related to that of some major organochlorines (OCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  The level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and beta2-microglobulin (beta2-MG) as well as that of polychlorinated biphenyls (Σ15PCBs), dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene (DDE) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was estimated in 2046 adults (834 males and 1212 females) from highly polluted Eastern Slovakia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Great majority of blood levels was lower than two specific units used for individual markers, while the prevalence of values higher than two specific units of appropriate markers. At the same time, the prevalence of all markers level higher than 2 specific units was highly significantly increasing with of stratified PCBs level quintiles which were also positively related to these of DDE and HCB. Some significant correlations between biomarkers level and age were also observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although from the data obtained within this multipurpose field survey any notable interrelations between AFP, CEA and beta2-MG and some specific diseases and/or malignant processes could not be retrospectively specified, from the data obtained it appears that some of such interrelations cannot be definitely excluded.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia. pavel.langer@savba.sk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kocan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Drobna
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huckova
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Radikova
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Susienkova
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Imrich
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ukropec
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000506:poisoning*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000506:poisoning*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000506:poisoning*; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls