Tumor markers kinetic in malignant lung neoplasms

Background No studies about correlation between postoperative half-life of tumor markers and prognosis in lung cancer exist in literature. The aim of our study was to determine the half-life of CEA, TPA, NSE and CYFRA 21-1 in postoperative period after surgery of bronchogenic carcinoma, and to corre late it with the prognosis and survival of the patients. Methods, From March 1997 to March 1998, 35 patients with bronchogenic carci noma were studied (29 males and 6 females, mean age 64.9 years, range 51-77 and 61.0 years, range 52-77 respectively). The mean followup for males was 125.70 days (from 30 to 198) after surgery and for females 125.79 days (fr om 30 to 180), CEA and NSE were tested by immunoenzymatic automated method, whereas TPA and CYFRA 21-1 were assayed by immunoradiometric techniques. F or each patient both the dismission curve and the half-life of considered m arkers were calculated during follow-up. Results, A statistically significant difference was found for preoperative values of TPA (p=0.027) and CYFRA 21-1(p=0.025) between SqCLC and adenocarc inoma. The preoperative levels of markers were higher in patients who would develope a relapse, even if statistical significance was not reached. CEA half-life was of 1.4 days, while in patients with a history of relapse or m etastatic spreading was 4.5 days. No differences were revealed concerning C YFRA. 21-1 between the two groups. Conclusions. Seriate determination of some markers (CEA and TPA in particul ar) during postoperative follow-up after surgery for bronchogenic carcinoma s can be a useful prognostic tool. Longer follow-up would provide additiona l informations in order to determine individual predictive threshold betwee n poor and good prognosis.