Carcinoembryonic Antigen in the Diagnosis of Lung-Cancer Using Bronchoalveolar Lavage - A Comparative-Study With Healthy-Subjects, Chronic-Bronchitis, Respiratory-Infections and Interstitial Pulmonary-Diseases

Evaluation of diagnostic value of four tumor markers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of peripheral lung cancer

“…However, in the serum this usefulness diminishes when it is used in the early diagnosis of lung cancer . Although these tumor markers in BALF have been studied, their role in diagnosing lung cancer remains an issue of debate . Some studies have shown that a determination of the tumor markers in BALF can raise the diagnostic sensitivity of lung cancer when compared with only histological and cytological diagnoses of bronchoscopic procedure .…”

“…Although these tumor markers in BALF have been studied, their role in diagnosing lung cancer remains an issue of debate . Some studies have shown that a determination of the tumor markers in BALF can raise the diagnostic sensitivity of lung cancer when compared with only histological and cytological diagnoses of bronchoscopic procedure . In contrast, other studies showed that the detection of BALF levels of these tumor markers had a very low specificity or sensitivity, and were unable to distinguish malignant from non‐malignant disease of the lung …”

“…Because of their low sensitivity, these tumor markers in serum have not generally been recommended as a tool for early diagnosis for lung cancer . It has been reported that some tumor markers increase their diagnostic power when studied in BALF . Other studies suggest, however, that elevations of tumor markers such as CEA and Cyfra21‐1 in BALF may also occur in patients with benign lung disease .…”