A CORRELATIVE STUDY OF BRONCHIAL CYTOLOGY, BRONCHOAL-VEOLAR LAVAGE (BAL) AND SERUM TUMOR-MARKERS IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF LUNG-CARCINOMA

In order to evaluate the diagnostic value of lavage CEA and SCC-Ag in combination with other parameters such as serum CEA and SCC-Ag, sputum and bronchial brushing cytology, we studied 30 patients with lung car cinoma and 12 with nonmalignant lung disease. All four tests combined, resulted in an increase in the predictive accuracy for diagnostic lun g carcinoma to 87 per cent, a value which is much above the approximat ely 50 per cent level achieved by each test alone. Hence lavage CEA an d SCC-Ag appears to be a useful accessory test in the diagnosis of lun g carcinoma, particularly when combined with other diagnostic procedur es currently in use.