Changes in squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen levels before and afterhemodialysis in relation to the model of dialyzer employed

Objective Although tumor marker levels in blood become elevated after hemod ialysis as a result of the amount of fluid removed, serum squamous cell car cinoma-related antigen (SCC) levels have not been always reported to increa se after hemodialysis, The purpose of this report is to determine whether t here is a difference between the change of serum SCC levels before and afte r hemodialysis according to the model of dialyzer employed, Patients and Methods In ninety-four patients on hemodialysis (50 cases of d iabetic nephropathy and 44 cases of glomerulonephritis), we examined serum SCC levels before and after hemodialysis. Results There was no overall difference between SCC levels before and after hemodialysis (3.2+/-1.5 ng/ml vs 3.3+/-1.7 ng/ml, p=0.2381). In patients t reated with a cellulosic type membrane dialyzer (n=73), SCC levels after he modialysis were higher than those before hemodialysis (3.7+/-1.7 ng/ml vs 3 .5+/-1.5 ng/ml, p=0.0495). In patients treated with a synthetic type membra ne (n=21), SCC levels after hemodialysis decreased when compared to those b efore hemodialysis (1.9+/-0.7 ng/ml vs 2.2+/-0.8 ng/ml, p=0.0018) and in al l patients, the SCC levels after hemodialysis were lower than, or equal to, those before hemodialysis, Conclusion The results suggest that the decline in serum SCC levels during hemodialysis treated with synthetic type membrane of dialyzers, concealed t he increased SCC levels in hemoconcentration.