Serum level of squamous cell carcinoma antigen and tumor size are useful to identify preoperatively patients at high risk of cervical cancer

Abstract

Background. The benefit of postoperative adjuvant therapy for patients with cervical cancer is uncertain, and moreover, may increase morbidity. In this study, patient age, clinical stage of the cancer, tumor size, and levels of serum squamous cell carcinoma cell antigen and carcinoembryonic antigen were studied in patients with Stage Ib and IIa squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix to determine if these parameters can be used, be fore the surgical intervention, to distinguish patients who require postoperative adjuvant therapy from those who do not. Methods. Ninety‐nine patients were studied. After surgery, patients were classified either as high risk or low risk according to the results of histopathologic findings. The age of the patient was noted, and FIGO stage, squamous cell carcinoma antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, and clinical tumor size were determined. A univariate analysis and then a stepwise logistic regression procedure were performed to select significant clinical predictors from among the five variables mentioned above. Any selected predictors were further analyzed by the receiver operator characteristic curve. Results. Serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen and clinical tumor size measured by colposcopic examination were significant clinical predictors of the treatment strategy postoperatively. From the receiver operator characteristic curve, a sensitivity of 84.2%, a specificity of 91.8%, a positive predictive value of 84.5% were attained. Conclusions. Serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen assays and clinical tumor size estimated by colpos copic examination are helpful in identifying patients who require postoperative adjunctive therapy.

The serum assay of tumour markers in the prognostic evaluation, treatment monitoring and follow-up of patients with cervical cancer: A review of the literature

“…It is still debated whether pre-treatment SCC assay may represent a prognostic variable, useful for selecting a group of high-risk patients who need more aggressive therapy [14,38,107]. Serum SCC reflects the response to treatment, and rising antigen levels often precede the clinical detection of recurrent disease.…”

Clinical implications of insulin-like growth factor 1 system in early-stage cervical cancer

“…The histological classification was defined according to the World Health Organization classification. The cervical tumour volume of surgical specimen was calculated using the formula: p/6 Â (R 1 Â R 2 Â R 3 ) (Chou et al, 1994). Preoperative serum levels of tumour markers were available.…”

Cervical cancer: Biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment

“…During the early treatment of cervical cancer, the levels of SCC have been shown to be related to the stage of the disease, size of the tumor and depth of the stromal invasion [26]. Earlier studies have shown that elevated levels of SCC have predictive value for prognosis [27] and they indicated that this SCC-Ag may also be used to show the response of therapy [28] and also used in the follow-up examination of cervical cancer patients. Increased serum SCC was shown to precede the clinical detection of recurrence of the disease [29].…”