The value of serum tumor marker CA125 and CEA in the diagonosis of non-small cell lung cancer.

Abstract

Tumor marker cancer antigen 125(CA125) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) all are the tumor markers found early. It was reported that the positive rate of CEA was highly in adenocarcinoma, after being analyzed all the case reports of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in recent 3 years, it was found that positive rate of CA125 was much higher in NSCLC than that of literatures. So, it's necessary to evaluate the value of serum CA125 and CEA measurement for NSCLC. The level of CA125 and CEA were detected with chemiluminescence in 136 NSCLC patients, 42 patients with respiratory diseases and 50 cases of normal control. The levels of serum CA125 in NSCLC patients were significantly higher than that of patients with respiratory diseases and normal control (except mixed cell lung cancer) (P<0.0001). The levels of serum CEA in adenocarcinoma and squamous patients were significantly higher than that of patients with respiratory diseases and normal control(P<0.0001). No difference between patients with respiratory diseases and normal control. The positive rates of CA125 were 92.3% in large-cell lung cancers, 80.2% in adenocarcinoma, 54.8% in squamous cancer, 50% in mixed cell lung cancer, respectively. The positive rates of CEA were 67.4% in large-cell lung cancers, 25.8% in squamous cancer, 0 in adenocarcinoma and mixed cell lung cancer, respectively. Combined measurement of CA125 and CEA positive rates was higher only in adenocarcinoma. The positive rates of CA125 and CEA were 86.9%and 63.6% in advanced NSCLC, respectively. The positive rates of CA125 were 90.9% in advanced adenocarcinoma. The positive rates of CA125 is higher than that of CEA in NSCLC patients, especially in large-cell lung cancers and advanced adenocarcinoma. CA125 is more useful than CEA in diagnosis of NSCLC.