THE PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF TPA AND SCC IN SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THECERVIX

Three hundred two patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix had pretreatment measurement of serum levels of tissue polypeptide ant igen (TPA) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) to assess their p rognostic value. Both markers were of prognostic significance in relat ion to stage, recurrence, and poor survival. The addition of TPA to SC C did not increase the percentage of patients with elevated pretreatme nt tumor marker level nor improve the prognostic significance. One hun dred thirty-five of these patients also had serial assay of both marke rs during follow-up. Rise from normal or persistently elevated markers after treatment was associated with recurrence. The median lead time to recurrence was 2 months for SCC and 2.5 months for TPA. The additio n of TPA to SCC in serial monitoring increased the sensitivity of dete ction of recurrence but decreased its specificity. The cost of assay o f two markers over one may not justify the slight improvement in sensi tivity of detection of recurrence. For squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, SCC is a better tumor marker than TPA. (C) 1994 Academic Press , Inc.