Evaluation of squamous cell carcinoma antigen as a new marker for lung cancer

Abstract

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is the only tumor marker of proven, although limited, value for the management of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The authors have prospectively assessed the potential value of a new tumor marker, squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC Ag), in a large series of patients with advanced lung cancer (LC). Squamous cell carcinoma antigen and CEA levels were measured in 382 healthy persons (N1 group), 90 patients with benign pulmonary diseases, and 291 patients with LC (129 with SCLC and 162 with NSCLC, including 96 with squamous LC). Carcinoembryonic antigen levels were higher in smokers than in nonsmokers, but smoking habits did not influence the serum concentrations of SCC Ag. Elevated values (above the 95th percentiles of N1, i.e., 7.5 ng/ml for CEA and 3.0 ng/ml for SCC Ag) were observed in 11.1% of patients with benign pulmonary diseases for both markers. Carcinoembryonic antigen was more sensitive than SCC Ag, even for squamous LC (56% versus 35% of elevated values, P less than 0.01). The specificity toward squamous LC was better, however, for SCC Ag, for which levels were elevated in only 8.5% of SCLC and in 18% of other forms of NSCLC, compared with 49% and 55%, respectively, for CEA. Moreover, measurement of SCC Ag and CEA levels did not give redundant information: thus, in squamous LC and SCC Ag level was elevated in 32% of the patients with a normal CEA level, increasing from 57% to 71% the proportion of patients with at least one elevated marker. Lastly, elevation of CEA or SCC Ag levels was an adverse prognostic factor in squamous LC (P = 0.05 for CEA; P = 0.07 for SCC Ag). In conclusion, SCC Ag appears to be worthwhile of further investigation in squamous LC. The authors found that this new marker provided additional information on CEA and that it was more specific for squamous LC than CEA.

Synergistic Increase of Oxidative Stress and Tumor Markers in PAH-Exposed Workers

“…Our results were in agreement with Szymańska-Chabowska et al's and Cho et al's study that higher serum (squamous cell carcinoma antigen) SCC Ag levels and a distinct synergistic reaction with the number of smoked cigarettes (Szymańska-Chabowska et al, 2004;Cho et al, 2013). Smoking habits did not influence the serum concentrations of SCC Ag in lung cancer (Body et al, 1990). TNF-a levels resembled more the smoking habits (P<0.001, OR=5.98, 95% CI: 2.57-13.87) and alcohol consumption (P=0.012, OR=2.67, 95% CI: 1.24-5.72) of the coke oven workers.…”

WT1 IgG antibody for early detection of nonsmall cell lung cancer and as its prognostic factor

“…However, current serum biomarkers for NSCLC such as carcino embryonic antigens (CEA) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen do not have sufficient sensitivity and specificity required for early detection of NSCLC. 4,5 It is now clear that malignant transformation occurs by changes in cellular gene expression with subsequent clonal proliferation. Altered gene expression in malignant cells may lead to the expression of aberrantly expressed proteins recognized by host immune system.…”

Serum tumour markers in lung cancer: history, biology and clinical applications

“…O'CONNOR and DEFTOS [96] observed chromogranin A in a wide variety of neuroendocrine tumours. NAKAJAMA et al [94] found a positive reaction to 189 a recent study on 291 patients (129 with SCLC and 162 with NSCLC, including 36 with SCC), BODY et al [60] measured both CEA and SCC-ag, and reached the following conclusions: 1) the use of SCC-ag is inappropriate for lung cancer screening in asymptomatic patients; 2) high values can be observed in patients with benign pulmonary disease; 3) SCC-ag serum levels, in contrast to CEA, are not determined by smoking habits; 4) SCC-ag has lower sensitivity but higher specificity than CEA in SCC; and 5) high pretreatment levels are indicative of a negative prognosis. Another study by MIZUSHIMA et al [46] confirmed these results.…”