Serum CEA and CA 15-3 as prognostic factors in primary breast cancer.

In the present study, we investigated the association of the serum levels of the tumour markers carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen 15-3 with disease free survival and death from disease in 1046 women with breast cancer without metastases at the time of primary diagnosis in relation to age and the established prognostic factors tumour size, lymph node status, histological grading and hormone receptor status. We found that elevated pre-operative serum marker values were correlated with early relapse (cancer antigen 15-3; P=0.0003) and death from disease (carcinoembryonic antigen, cancer antigen 15-3; P=0.

Tumour markers CEA and CA 15-3 as Prognostic factors in breast cancer--univariate and multivariate analysis.

Tumour markers are putative prognostic indicators for patients with breast cancer, but have not been elevated independently by multivariate analysis in a large patient number. In 550 patients with breast cancer without known metastases the levels of the serum tumour markers CEA und CA 15-3 were determined preoperatively and during follow-up. The prognostic relevance of these markers for recurrence (n = 128/487) and death of disease (n = 55/550) was evaluated in relation to established prognostic factors.

Alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes in detection and follow up of breast cancer metastases.

Alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes in bone and liver metastases of breast cancer were determined in 637 patients and during follow up in 116 patients, by agarose gel electrophoresis. The activity of total alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyl transferase, CEA and CA 15-3 was also determined. The sensitivity of bone alkaline phosphatase in bone metastases detection was 39%, of electrophoresis (total alkaline phosphatase and specific isoenzymes) 48% and of enzymes and tumor markers together 85% (n = 62).

Alpha 1-antichymotrypsin-PSA (ACT-PSA): a useful marker in the differential diagnosis of benign hyperplasia and cancer of the prostate?

Unlabelled: This study examined the clinical relevance of the determination of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin complexed PSA (ACT-PSA) in addition to total PSA antigen (t-PSA).

Patients And Methods: Both total PSA- and ACT-PSA-values of frozen sera obtained pretherapeutically from 93 patients with carcinoma (PC) and 132 patients with benign hyperplasia of the prostate (BPH) were analyzed by means of PSA sandwich-ELISA (Dianova GmbH) and ACT-PSA sandwich-ELISA (Dianova GmbH).

Results: At 95% specificity (true negative test results), a cutoff value of 18.

Total and free PSA: a methodical and clinical evaluation of five assays.

Unlabelled: We studied the methodical and clinical relevance of five determination assays for free PSA (f-PSA) in addition to the corresponding total PSA antigen (t-PSA).

Methods: Both the total PSA- and free-PSA-values of frozen sera obtained pretherapeutically from 80 patients with carcinoma (PC) and 171 patients with benign hyperplasia of the prostate (BPH) were analysed by means of Enzymun-Test PSA/BM, PSA-RIACT/ CIS, CanAg PSA EIA/ Dia, Tandem-E PSA/Hyb, PSA IRMA/ IBL and Enzymun-Test PSA free/BM, F PSA-RIACT/CIS, CanAg Anti Free PSA/Dia, Tandem-R free PSA/Hyb, FREE PSA IRMA/IBL.

Results: The coefficient of correlation between Hybritech PSA assay and the other assays was determined in patients with benign and malignant prostatic diseases.

Serum thymidine kinase in non-Hodgkin lymphomas with special regard to multiple myeloma.

S-TK (Serum thymidine kinase) levels were determined by means of a radioenzyme assay (REA). In 95% of healthy controls (n = 97), S-TK values were below 8.5 U/L.

Evaluation of serum neural cell adhesion molecule as a prognostic marker in multiple myeloma.

Serum neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), a possible prognostic marker for multiple myeloma (MM), was determined by means of an enzyme immunoassay, which showed good linearity and high precision. In 95% of healthy controls (n = 70), NCAM values were below 18.7 U/mL.

CA125 based diagnosis and therapy in recurrent ovarian cancer.

Approximately 85% of patients with advanced ovarian cancer will experience recurrence of the disease. In 311 patients CA125 serum levels were determined at follow up investigation in our department. A sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 89% were calculated.

The ratio of free to total prostate specific antigen: an advantageous addition in the differential diagnosis of benign hyperplasia and cancer of the prostate?

Unlabelled: This study examined the clinical relevance of the determination of free PSA (f-PSA) in addition to total PSA (t-PSA).

Patients And Methods: Both total PSA- and free PSA-values of frozen sera obtained pretherapeutically from 80 patients with carcinoma (PC) and 171 patients with benign hyperplasia of the prostate (BPH) were analysed by means of PSA IRMA and FREE PSA IRMA (IMMUNOCORP/IBL).

Results: At 95% specificity (true negative test results), a cut-off value of 16.

Screening for prostatic carcinoma with prostate specific antigen.

The usefulness of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in screening for prostatic carcinoma was studied in 262 inpatients of the department of internal medicine. All patients underwent a rectal digital examination and determination of PSA by the Tandem-E method (Hybritech). The plan was to perform biopsies if there were suspicious findings on the rectal examination or if the PSA value was more than 10 ng/ml.

Prognostic significance of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen in primary advanced and recurrent cervical carcinoma.

Between January 1986 and June 1992 56 patients with cervical carcinoma were treated with cytostatic drugs in our department. In all patients showing primary response to therapy, the SCC and CEA levels fell rapidly to normal after one or two cycles. In contrast, clinical remission was not obtained in those patients with levels which remained high or rose again following an initial decrease.

Significance of tumor marker determinations in the primary therapy of ovarian cancer.

In 296 patients with primary ovarian cancer the sensitivity and specificity of CA125 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were determined. High CA125 values can be found in serous cystadenocarcinomas, CA125 can also be detected in patients with mucinous carcinomas. Only in cases negative for CA125 should other tumor markers be determined.

Prognostic significance of CA125 in patients with ovarian cancer and secondary debulking surgery.

Prognostic outcome of patients with bulky disease after primary surgery in ovarian cancer remains extremely poor. One possible approach to achieve prolonged survival is secondary debulking surgery, but only in those patients without residual tumor after the second surgery. In 79 patients with secondary debulking surgery preoperative CA125 values were determined.

Preoperative serum levels of CEA and CA 19-9 and their prognostic significance in colorectal carcinoma.

Unlabelled: The prognostic information provided by preoperative serum CEA, CA 19-9 antigen assays as compared with the classical prognostic factors (age, sex, tumor infiltration, tumor stage (Dukes') and R-classification) in 495 patients with colorectal carcinoma was analysed.

Patients And Methods: Survival function estimates were calculated according to Kaplan-Meier. The patients were separated into two groups according to the preoperative marker levels.

Prognostic value of preoperative serum levels of CEA, CA 19-9 and CA 72-4 in gastric carcinoma.

Unlabelled: We studied the relevance of CEA, CA 19-9, CA 72-4 and the common classical prognostic factors (age, sex, tumor infiltration, N-classification, staging, grading and Lauren classification) in gastric carcinoma.

Patients And Methods: Survival function estimates were calculated according the method to Kaplan-Meier. The patients were separated into two groups according to preoperative marker levels.

Is free prostate-specific antigen helpful in the differential diagnosis of benign hyperplasia and cancer of the prostate?

Purpose: We studied the clinical relevance of the determination of free prostate-specific antigen (f-PSA) in addition to total PSA (t-PSA).

Methods: Both t-PSA and f-PSA values of frozen sera obtained pretherapeutically from 80 patients with prostate carcinoma (PC) and 171 patients with benign hyperplasia of the prostate (BPH) were analyzed by means of the Tandem-E PSA and Tandem-R f-PSA immunoassays (Hybritech, San Diego, Calif.).

Clinical relevance of CYFRA 21-1, TPA-IRMA and TPA-LIA-mat in urinary bladder cancer.

The sera of 154 cancer patients were analyzed at primary diagnosis before any therapy to find out the clinical importance of CYFRA 21-1 (detecting cytokeratin 19-fragments) compared with the polyclonal TPA-IRMA and the monoclonal TPA-LIA-mat-assay (both measuring fragments of cytokeratin 8, 18 and 19). The reference group consisted of 100 healthy persons as well as 78 patients with exclusively benign urological diseases. We defined the cut-off values based on 95% specificity versus benign urological disorders.

CYFRA 21-1 is not superior to SCC antigen and CEA in head and neck squamous cell cancer.

CYFRA 21-1 was compared to the most reliable tumor markers for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC), SCC antigen and CEA. Sera of 163 patients with primary and 40 patients with recurrent HNSCC were examined. 94 patients with non-malignant ENT-diseases served as the control group.

Clinical significance of the tumour markers CA 125 II and CA 72-4 in ovarian carcinoma.

In a retrospective study we compared the usefulness of the tumour marker CA 72-4 with the established marker CA 125 II (both EIA on Cobas-Core, Hoffmann LaRoche, Basel Switzerland) at the time of primary diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma (n = 123) in order to discriminate between ovarian carcinomas of different histological type. We compared their diagnostic value, behaviour in follow-up care and evaluated possible combinations. Fixing specificity at 95% vs.

Methodological and clinical evaluation of two automated enzymatic immunoassays as compared with a radioimmunoassay for neuron-specific enolase.

We evaluated the clinical and methodological features of the neuron-specific enolase radioimmunoassay (NSE RIA) (Pharmacia = Ph) with the neuron-specific enolase enzyme immunoassay (NSE EIA) on the ES 700 (Boehringer Mannheim = BM) and the NSE EIA on the Cobas Core System (Roche = Ro). A total of 253 serum samples obtained from 37 healthy persons, 45 patients with benign lung diseases, 124 patients with lung cancer (42 with small cell lung cancer, 23 with adenocarcinoma, 21 with squamous cell carcinoma, 11 with large cell carcinoma, and 27 with unknown histology), 34 with lung metastases, 7 patients with sarcoma and 6 patients with malign lymphatic diseases were stored at -80 degrees C and assayed retrospectively. The intra- and inter-assay imprecisions were lower for the automatized test systems than for the RIA.

Characterization of myeloma cells by means of labeling index, bone marrow histology, and serum beta 2-microglobulin.

The relationship between two cellular prognostic parameters of multiple myeloma, the plasma cell labeling index (LI%) and bone marrow histology was studied. The LI% as the percentage of monoclonal plasma cells in the S-phase was measured by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation using the anti-bromodeoxyuridine antibody BU-1. The histologic classification was based on six plasma cell types that allow prognostic grading as the Marschalko, small cell, cleaved, polymorphous, asynchronous, and blastic types.

Methodological and clinical comparison of the ACS prostate-specific antigen assay and the Tandem-E prostate-specific antigen assay in prostate cancer.

Objectives: The new ACS prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assay was methodologically and clinically compared with the established Tandem-E PSA assay. We intended to find a possible advantage in primary diagnosis and monitoring the recurrence of prostate cancer due to the additional better recognition of the free PSA form by the ACS PSA assay.

Methods: sera of 51 healthy men, 127 patients with hyperplasia, and 82 untreated patients with prostate cancer were analyzed by means of the Tandem-E PSA assay (Hybritech) and the ACS PSA assay (Ciba Corning).