THE TISSUE POLYPEPTIDE ANTIGEN SERUM TEST IN THE PREOPERATIVE EVALUATION OF NONSMALL CELL LUNG-CANCER - DIAGNOSTIC YIELD AND COMPARISON WITH CONVENTIONAL STAGING METHODS
G. Buccheri et D. Ferrigno, THE TISSUE POLYPEPTIDE ANTIGEN SERUM TEST IN THE PREOPERATIVE EVALUATION OF NONSMALL CELL LUNG-CANCER - DIAGNOSTIC YIELD AND COMPARISON WITH CONVENTIONAL STAGING METHODS, Chest, 107(2), 1995, pp. 471-476
Tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) is a protein produced and released by
proliferating cells that has been shown to possess several characteri
stics for an ideal tumor marker. Our purpose was to determine the yiel
d bf TPA in the pretreatment assessment of non-small cell lung cancer
(NSCLC), in comparison with a baseline clinical evaluation and multior
gan computed tomography (CT) assumed to be the gold standard for presu
rgical staging. One hundred four patients with NSCLC underwent thoraco
tomy, mediastinoscopy, or biopsy of suspected metastatic deposits, in
addition to an extensive noninvasive evaluation of their stage of dise
ase. We restaged retrospectively (UICC 1987 classification) these pati
ents, on the basis of the following: (1) clinical history and physical
examination, routine laboratory tests, bronchoscopy, chest radiograph
s, and any other examination as indicated by the prior baseline evalua
tion (BE stage); (2) the serum level of TPA (TPA stage); (3) the readi
ng of a CT scan of brain, thorax, and abdomen obtained with no limitat
ion to clinical information (CT stage); and (4) pathologic findings (R
E stage). The TPA stage was calculated using 20 threshold values rangi
ng from 45 U/L to 450 U/L. On the basis of the RE stage, sensitivity,
specificity, accuracy, and predictive capabilities of BE, CT, and TPA
were determined for stage I and II(full operability, FO), stage IIIa (
possible operability, PO), and stage IIIb and IV (full inoperability,
FI). The TPA thresholds were 110 U/L for detecting FO with the highest
rate of success, and 160 U/L for detecting FI. Using these thresholds
BE, CT, and TPA showed a diagnostic accuracy of, respectively, 75%, 7
9%, and 68% for FO; 87%, 69%, and 77%, for PO; 87%, 77%, and 76% for F
I. The accuracy of BE, CT, and TPA for both FO and FI was, respectivel
y, 85%, 69%, and 69%. Of 74 patients classified operable by BE, 6 had
a serum concentration of TPA less than 50 U/L and all 6 were confirmed
in stage I or II at the subsequent thoracotomy; 15 others, out of 26
patients judged to have inoperable conditions by BE, had a TPA test re
sult above 135 U/L and all 15 were pathologically classified in stage
IIIb or IV. Using appropriate threshold values of TPA, it should be po
ssible to predict NSCLC resectability with a diagnostic accuracy simil
ar to that routinely achieved by CT.