Carcinoembryonic antigen and ferritin in patients with lung cancer before and during therapy

Abstract

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were determined in 114 patients with confirmed lung cancer at the time of diagnosis using the CEA Ire-Sorin radioimmunoassay. Elevated CEA values were found in 47%. Most of the patients with high CEA levels had clinically detectable metastases. Ferritin was detectable by the Laurell-electrophoresis in the serum of 58 out of 81 (72%) of the patients with confirmed lung cancer at the time of diagnosis. Ferritin levels were significantly higher in patients with metastases. Serial measurements of CEA and ferritin during radio- and chemotherapy showed that the assay may be useful to evaluate the effects of therapy. Because of some false negative results both CEA and ferritin determinations should be used only in context with other clinical and laboratory findings.

Persistently High Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen Levels after Surgery Indicate Poor Prognosis in Patients with Stage I Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

“…Okada and coauthors reported their experience with 1000 consecutive resections for stage I NSCLC and concluded that perioperative measurement of serum CEA concentrations yields information valuable for detecting patients with high risk of poor survival [9]. Elevated serum CEA levels are also sometimes associated with advanced disease and with poor survival after treatment [22]. Okamoto and coworkers found that serum CEA level can be a predicative factor for the efficacy of gefitinib treatment, while it is also a prognostic factor for advanced NSCLC patients undergoing this treatment [14].…”

Iron status markers in patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung. Relation to survival

“…To some extent S-ferritin behaves as an acute phase reactant, being inappropriately elevated in infectious, inflammatory and malignant diseases (Gropp et al, 1978;Lee, 1983). S-ferritin was elevated at discovery and remained relatively constant until late in the disease, where a marked rise was observed at 10-11 months, probably reflecting an increased tumour mass.…”

Serum tumour markers in lung cancer: history, biology and clinical applications

“…GROPP et al [73], demonstrated that ferritin levels were significantly higher in metastatic disease, irrespective of the histological type. In their study, serial measurements of ferritin were useful in evaluating the effects of therapy.…”