Abstract
In order to evaluate the diagnostic yield of tumor markers in differentiating malignant and benign pleural effusions, we carried out a prospective study in a group of Iranian people. Pleural and serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) were assayed prospectively in patients with pleural effusion (40 malignant and 37 benign). The highest sensitivity was obtained with a combination of CA 15-3 in serum, and CA 15-3 and CEA in pleural fluid (80%), also with combination of CA 15-3 in serum, and CA 15-3, NSE and CEA in pleural fluid (80%). The highest specificity was obtained with combination of CA 15-3 in serum, and CA 15-3 and NSE in pleural fluid (100%), and also with combination of CA 15-3 in serum, and CA 15-3, NSE and CEA in pleural fluid (100%).
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Ghayumi, S.M.A., Mehrabi, S., Doroudchi, M. et al. Diagnostic value of tumor markers for differentiating malignant and benign pleural effusions of Iranian patients. Pathol. Oncol. Res. 11, 236–241 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893857
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893857