Clinical value of serum tumor markers in predicting patients' responses to targeted therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer
10.3781/j.issn.1000-7431.2012.12.012
- Author:
Hui-Min WANG
1
Author Information
1. Department of Pulmonary Medicine
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Clinical efficacy;
Neoplasms;
Non-small cell lung;
Targeted therapy;
Tumor marker
- From:
Tumor
2012;32(12):1021-1024
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the clinical value of expression levels of serum tumor markers in monitoring the response to the targeted therapy with EGFR-TKI (epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor) for patients with advanced NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer). Methods: One hundred and two patients with advanced NSCLC were recruited in this study to receive targeted therapy with oral EGFR-TKI between December 2008 and December 2011. Before treatment and after targeted therapy for two months, the serum tumor markers including CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), CA125, Cyfra21-1, NSE (neuron-specific enolase) and human SCCAg (squamous-cell carcinoma-related antigen) levels were examined. Meanwhile, the relationship between the changes in expression levels of serum tumor markers and the responses to the targeted therapy evaluated through computed tomography imaging was analyzed. Results: Of 102 patients, no one had CR (complete response), 35 had PR (partial response), 36 had SD (stable disease), and 31 had PD (progressive disease). The patients who had response to the targeted therapy were defined as the patients with CR and PR (response group). The serum CEA level was significantly decreased in the response group (P = 0.007) and increased in the PD group (P = 0.044) after EGFR-TKI treatment, and not significantly changed in the SD group (P = 0.373). After EGFR-TKI treatment, the serum CA125 level in the response group was significantly decreased (P = 0.001), the serum Cyfra21-1 level in the PD group was increased significantly (P = 0.016), and the serum NSE level in the response group was decreased (P = 0.001). The serum SCCAg level did not change significantly (P > 0.05) after treatment in each group. Before treatment, the baseline serum CEA and CA125 levels in the response group were both significantly higher than those in the SD group (P < 0.05) and the PD group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Detection of a variety of tumor markers, particularly the serum CEA level, contributes to the judgment of therapeutic effect of EGFR-TKI in advanced NSCLC. Significantly higher pre-treatment serum CEA and CA125 levels may predicate the response to targeted therapies. Copyright © 2012 by TUMOR.
