title: Comparison of tumor markers and inflammatory biomarkers in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was: (a) to measure levels of the tumor markers, Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), Cancer antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), Cancer antigen 125 (CA125), Neuron specific enolase (NSE) and Cytokeratin fragments 19 (CYFRA21-1); (b) to investigate any correlation between them and the inflammatory biomarkers C-reactive protein (CRP), Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and white blood cells count (WBC), in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation, who belong in groups of severity C and D, as classified by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD); (c) and finally, to compare these results in these two groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two patients with COPD exacerbation [35 male/17 female, mean age (± SD) 68.3 ± 6.4 years] were the study subjects, and were classified in severity groups C (n = 27) and D (n = 25), based on the spirometric classification, the number of exacerbations in the preceding year and the assessment of their symptoms by GOLD. Results. CEA and CA125 were increased in group D. In group C, there was a significant correlation between CRP and CA125 (p = 0.05). In group D, there was a significant correlation between WBC and NSE (p = 0.02), between CRP and CA19-9 (p = 0.02) and NSE (p < 0.001), and between the ESR and NSE (p = 0.03). CA125 (p = 0.01) and CA19-9 (p = 0.01) were significantly higher in group D compared to group C. In contrast, there was no significant difference in two groups for NSE, CEA and CYFRA21-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Certain tumor markers were increased and were associated with increased levels of inflammatory biomarkers and with the disease severity. Inflammation might have a key pathogenetic role linking the above tumor markers with the severity of COPD.
authors.affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School , Athens.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barouchos
authors.forename: Athanasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papazafiropoulou
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iacovidou
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vrachnis
authors.forename: Nektarios
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barouchos
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Armeniakou
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dionyssopoulou
authors.forename: Alexandros G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mathioudakis
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Christopoulou
authors.forename: Spiridoula
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koltsida
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bassiakou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D053539:Keratin-19 / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D012907:Smoking; D013147:Spirometry
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D053539:Keratin-19; C451759:MUC16 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C102012:antigen CYFRA21.1; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Blood sedimentation; C-reactive protein; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; disease exacerbation; leukocytes; tumor markers