CYFRA 21-1, TPA-M, TPS, SCC-Ag and CEA in patients with squamous cell lungcancer and in chemical industry workers as a reference group

In etiology of lung cancel chemical carcinogenesis seems to be a very impor tant factor. In the studies presented here the diagnostic usefulness of tum or markers in lung cancer was evaluated, using as a reference group workers of a chemical plant producing chromite and chromate pigments. The investig ations of CYFRA 21-1, TPA-M, TPS, CEA and SCC-Ag were performed before trea tment in a group of 76 squamous cell lung cancer patients in different stag es of disease and in a reference group of 75 workers of the chemical compan y, who had been exposed to hexavalent chromium for longer than 1 year and h ad no clinical or radiological symptoms of lung diseases. In the squamous c ell lung cancer group concentrations of all analyzed tumor markers were con sidered to be significantly higher than in the reference group. TPA assay d emonstrated higher diagnostic performance than CYFRA 21-1 and the remaining tumor markers. At 0.95 specificity, the sensitivity of TPA was 0.79, CYRA 21-1-0.76, of TPS - 0.29 whilst of CEA and SCC-Ag - 0.31. The univariate an alysis showed a significant prognostic value for clinical stages, only for CYFRA 21-1 and SCC-Ag A significant relationship between marker level and s urvival was observed for CYFRA 21-1 as well as SCC-Ag levels. In a multivar iate analysis CYFRA 21-1 and/or TPS remained significant predictors of surv ival.