TISSUE POLYPEPTIDE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN FOR EARLY PREDICTION OF NONSMALL CELL LUNG-CANCER RECURRENCE

TPS is a new tumor marker immunoassay that indicates tumor proliferati ve rate rather than tumor burden. Thirty-nine patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including 18 cases with recurrence and 21 ca ses without recurrence 1 year postoperation, were enrolled in this stu dy. The serial serum levels of tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TP S) were measured before operation and 1 week, 4 weeks, 3 months, 6 mon ths, 9 months, and 12 months after operation, using an immunoradiometr ic assay (IRMA), for early detection of recurrence. The results reveal ed that mean serum values of TPS were higher in 18 patients with recur rent cancer (103.5, 69.2, 88.1, 137.0, 108.6, 170.5, and 106.3 U/l) wh en compared with 21 patients without recurrent cancer (86.7, 53.0, 54. 5, 57.4, 52.3, 52.0, and 58.6 U/l), preoperation and at all times afte r operation. If the TPS serum level 1 week after operation was conside red as the baseline level (1x), elevated TPS ratios were higher in 18 patients with recurrence (1.2x, 2.5x, 2.1x, 4.3x, and 3.0x) when compa red with 21 patients without recurrence (1.1x, 1.1x, 1.0x, 1.0x, and 1 .1x), 4 weeks to 12 months after operation. We conclude that TPS is a suitable marker for early prediction of NSCLC recurrence. Patients wit h recurrent NSCLC within 1 year postoperation showed higher serum TPS levels and elevated TPS ratios than patients without recurrent NSCLC.