CYFRA 21-1 in patients with suspected cancer: evaluation of an optimal cutoff to assess the diagnostic efficacy and prognostic value.

Objectives: Chosen cutoff for cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen (CYFRA 21-1) as a tumor biomarker considerably influences its diagnostic and prognostic usefulness. The aim of the present study is to determine an optimal cutoff value for diagnostic validity of CYFRA 21-1 by technology in patients with suspected cancer and also to determine if CYFRA 21-1 levels provide prognostic value.

Methods: A consecutive 284 patients suggestive of malignant disease from six hospitals of Madrid were enrolled in a retrospective design.