Cyfra 21-1 marker in carcinoma of the cervix

Abstract

Cyfra 21-1 has been reported to be an effective tumor marker for epithelial carcinomas. The purpose of this investigation was to determine its value in evaluating response to treatment in patients with carcinoma of the cervix. Cyfra 21-1 levels were measured by immunoassay in the serum of 55 untreated patients with cervical cancer; a second sample was obtained in all of them after conventional treatment for association with clinical response. Pre-therapy levels were elevated in only 45% (25 of 55) of the patients, with a slight tendency to increase according to clinical stage: 33% (5/15) in stage I, 36% (8/22) in stage II and 67% (12/18) in stage III. In regards to association with response to therapy, and including patients with either normal or elevated pretreatment values, 46% (19/41) of women with a complete clinical response either persisted with or developed elevated levels after treatment completion. All 14 patients with persistent disease after therapy continued to have or developed elevated values. No patient with persistent disease had normal values after therapy, and all patients with negative values after treatment were truly complete clinical responders. The results of our study suggest that the test has a low sensitivity therefore and, despite our findings, a negative level after treatment may not be a safe indicator of disease-free status. On the other hand, an elevated post-treatment level is not a reliable indicator of persistence, proven by the fact that 46% of clinical responders fell in this category. Therefore, Cyfra 21-1 has a very limited role in correlating with response to treatment in carcinoma of the cervix.

Supraclavicular lymph node metastases of unknown origin: HPV-typing identifies the primary tumour

“…For diagnostic reasons, only a few tumour markers have been investigated and their implementation so far does not offer essential diagnostic assistance (Pavlidis et al 1994;Yazigi et al 2000;Milovic et al 2002). For diagnostic reasons, only a few tumour markers have been investigated and their implementation so far does not offer essential diagnostic assistance (Pavlidis et al 1994;Yazigi et al 2000;Milovic et al 2002).…”

“…Nevertheless, the pattern of expression could have prognostic significance in these patients (McKaig et al 1998). Still, normal SCC levels do not rule out the presence of the disease (Tsai et al 1996;De Bruijn et al 1998;Yazigi et al 2000). It has been proven to be the most effective monitor of therapy response and SCC antigen is the most sensitive marker to recognize tumour progression or recurrence.…”

“…On the other hand, CYFRA 21-1 has been reported to be an effective tumour marker for epithelial cancers and correlates with tumour load, but has limited value assessing treatment response in CC (De Bruijn et al 1998;Yazigi et al 2000;Molina et al 2003;Tsai et al 2004). When following up patients with adenocarcinoma of the cervix, the analyses of serum levels of CA125 and CEA are superior to SCC antigen.…”

“…A non-specific overexpression of tumour markers is described in patients with CUP. For diagnostic reasons, only a few tumour markers have been investigated and their implementation so far does not offer essential diagnostic assistance (Pavlidis et al 1994;Yazigi et al 2000;Milovic et al 2002). Nevertheless, the pattern of expression could have prognostic significance in these patients (McKaig et al 1998).…”

“…It has been proven to be the most effective monitor of therapy response and SCC antigen is the most sensitive marker to recognize tumour progression or recurrence. Still, normal SCC levels do not rule out the presence of the disease (Tsai et al 1996;De Bruijn et al 1998;Yazigi et al 2000).…”