CANCER OF THE UTERINE CERVIX - CLINICAL-VALUE OF SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA ANTIGEN (SCC) MEASUREMENTS

The clinical value of SCC levels has been evaluated in four groups of women affected by cervical carcinoma. Among the 116 newly diagnosed pa tients, the SCC pretreatment level was elevated in 57% of cases and wa s strictly correlated with clinical stage (Ib to IV p= < 0.01) and his totype (squamous cell carcinoma versus others: p= 0.0005). No signific ant difference was found in relation to nodal status. For the 28 patie nts submitted to neoadjuvant chemotherapy clinical response was correl ated with the change in serum SCC level: stable or rising serum level indicated that the disease was unchanged ol progressive, respectively. In the group of 48 patients affected by recurrent carcinoma, a raised SCC level was found in 71% of cases, with a lead time ranging from 0 to 12 months. No identification of the site of recurrence could be ext rapolated from the value of SCC. As to the 108 regularly monitored pat ients, no significant difference in the risk to develop recurrence was shown for patients with a raised SCC level at the time of primary dia gnosis (NED versus relapsed: p= > 0.05).