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Diagnostic Role of Tumour Markers CEA, CA15-3, CA19-9 and CA125 in Lung Cancer

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic yield of the tumour markers carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 15-3, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and carbohydrate antigen 125, in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in a group of patients with bronchogenic carcinoma. Serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples were collected in a group of 90 patients with benign or malignant pulmonary diseases. After appropriate processing, tumour markers were determined by enzyme immunoassay. The diagnostic yields (sensitivity, specificity and predictive values) in each environment (serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid) were obtained by using "Receivers operating characteristic" curve. Determined individually, carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and carbohydrate antigen 125, showed the greatest diagnostic accuracy in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Carbohydrate antigen 15-3 did so in serum. Carcinoembryonic antigen was the most relevant marker in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. For the factors evaluated in this study, determination of carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and carbohydrate antigen 125 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were clinically more useful markers in comparison with serum, although the latter may also be helpful in certain situations. Although there is no specific tumour marker for lung cancer, the combination of several can be used to diagnose most patients with lung cancer and also to rule out false positive and negative cases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chest Medicine, Calcutta National Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    Indranath Ghosh & Subir Kumar Dey

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Calcutta National Medical College, 39, Russa Road, South First Lane, Kolkata, 700033, West Bengal, India

    Debojyoti Bhattacharjee & Anindya Dasgupta

  3. Department of Pathology, Calcutta National Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    Anjan Kumar Das

  4. Department of Biochemistry, Murshidabad Medical College, Murshidabad, West Bengal, India

    Goutam Chakrabarti

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  1. Indranath Ghosh
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  2. Debojyoti Bhattacharjee
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  3. Anjan Kumar Das
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  4. Goutam Chakrabarti
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  5. Anindya Dasgupta
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  6. Subir Kumar Dey
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Correspondence to Debojyoti Bhattacharjee.

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Ghosh, I., Bhattacharjee, D., Das, A.K. et al. Diagnostic Role of Tumour Markers CEA, CA15-3, CA19-9 and CA125 in Lung Cancer. Ind J Clin Biochem 28, 24–29 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12291-012-0257-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12291-012-0257-0

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