CEA LEVELS IN BRONCHIAL LAVAGE IN PATIENTS WITH LUNG-CANCER

CEA levels were mesaured in bronchial lavage in 84 patients with endob ronchial lung cancer, undergoing diagnostic bronchoscopy. The control group consisted of 94 patients with nonmalignant lung diseases, in who m bronchoalveolar lavage was performed. In both groups of patients 100 ml of normal saline solution was used during the lavage procedure. CEA levels in lavage fluid and in serum were determined with polyclonal ( CEA-RIA) and monoclonal antibodies (CEA-EIA). Significantly increased CEA levels in lavage fluid were observed in patients with lung cancer (97.4+/-56.4ng/ml) in comparison to the patients with nonmalignant lun g diseases (4.2+/-6.3ng/ml). Patients with lung cancer had CEA levels in lavage fluid about 30 times higher than in serum. Significantly inc reased CEA levels in bronchial lavage in patients with lung cancer wer e found in the cases with more advanced bronchoscopic tumor and in tho se with positive bronchial secretion cytology than in other groups of patients with lung cancer. Determination of CEA levels in bronchial la vage can be a useful additional diagnostic method in patients with lun g cancer.