New approaches in the diagnostic procedure of malignant pleural effusions.

The content of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (Ca 19-9), carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (Ca 15-3) and the expression of LewisY related carbohydrate antigens in benign and malignant pleural effusion were determined. These included 35 malignant pleural effusions: 13 breast cancers, 12 lung cancers (6 squamous cell carcinomas, 5 adenocarcinomas and 1 microcytoma), 2 mesotheliomas, 1 epithelioma, 1 kidney cancer, 1 hepatocarcinoma, 1 colon carcinoma, 3 lymphomas, 1 osteosarcoma and 9 benign pleural effusions. We showed that pleural fluid content of CEA, Ca 19-9 and Ca 15-3 were higher in malignant than in benign effusions.