Tissue polypeptide specific antigen and squamous cell carcinoma antigen for early prediction of recurrence in lung squamous cell carcinoma

One of the major problems in the follow-up of patients with lung cancer is the early detection of recurrent disease. Tumor markers have been found hel pful in detecting early recurrent disease. The aims of this study were to e valuate and compare the clinical usefulness of serial and simultaneous meas urement of tissue polypeptide antigen (TPS) and squamous cell carcinoma (SC C) antigen for the early prediction of recurrence in patients with SCC of t he lung. Sixty patients with SCC of the lung, including 25 patients with re currence and 35 patients without recurrence after 1 year's follow-up after surgery, were enrolled in this study. The serial serum levels of TPS and SC C antigen were measured before surgery and 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 mon ths, 9 months, and 12 months after the operation for early detection of rec urrence. The results revealed that (1) the mean serum values of TPS were si gnificantly greater at all times after surgery in the 25 patients with recu rrent SCC compared with the 35 patients without recurrent SCC, and (2) the mean serum values of SCC antigen were significantly greater only at 9 and 1 2 months after surgery in the 25 patients with recurrent SCC compared with the 35 patients without recurrent SCC. We conclude that TPS is a better mar ker than SCC antigen for early prediction of SCC recurrence in the lung.