MULTIPLE TUMOR-MARKERS FOR DIAGNOSIS, MANAGEMENT AND FOLLOW-UP OF POTENTIALLY RESECTABLE LUNG-CANCER

The present prospective study has been carried out to evaluate the rol e of tumour markers in the preoperative assessment and follow-up of pa tients with potentially resectable lung cancer. The carcinoembryonic a ntigen (CEA), neuron specific enolase (NSE), and tissue polypeptide an tigen (TPA) have been preoperatively measured in 133 lung cancer patie nts and in 75 healthy smokers. The same tumour markers have been seria lly determined during the 12 to 30 month-follow-up of 53 subjects who had a complete resection. In screening for localized lung cancer, TPA determination was the single most accurate diagnostic test. The combin ed measurement of several tumour markers did not result in a greater d iagnostic accuracy of the assay. In predicting lung cancer unresectabi lity, CEA, though being the most suitable test, allowed preoperative d etection of only one third of patients with unremovable tumours. In mo nitoring the postresectional course of subjects who had a complete res ection, the combined measurement of TPA and NSE proved to be a very re liable predictor of disease recurrence.