title: Analytical assessment of the novel Maglumi squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) immunoluminometric assay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The demand for routine measurement of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) is rapidly increasing in clinical laboratories, due to the central role that this biomarker plays in staging and monitoring patients with various forms of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  The present analytical evaluation of Maglumi SCCA was aimed to assess the imprecision, linearity and comparability against a widely used technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intra- and inter-assay imprecision was comprised between 2.6-4.2% and between 5.0-7.3%, respectively. The linearity of the test was excellent in the range of SCC values comprised between 1.0 and 18.0 ng/mL (r=0.998; P<0.001). A highly significant correlation was observed between Maglumi SCCA and BRAHMS Kryptor SCC in the range of values comprised between 0.44 and 15.18 ng/mL (r=0.960; P<0.001). The mean bias was 0.79 ng/mL (95% CI, 0.61-0.97) and the diagnostic agreement at the respective diagnostic cut-offs was 95%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study confirm that Maglumi SCCA may be regarded as a suitable alternative to Kryptor SCC for routine and fully-automated assessment of SCCA in clinical laboratories.
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, Academic Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy ; 2 Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dipalo
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, Academic Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy ; 2 Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gnocchi
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, Academic Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy ; 2 Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosalia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aloe
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, Academic Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy ; 2 Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lippi
keywords: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); cancer; immunoassay; methods; squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA)