IMMUNOACID PROTEIN (IAP) AS MARKER FOR CERVICAL AND ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMA - ALONE AND IN COMPARISON WITH CA125 AND SCC

Background - Immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) has been detected in several malignancies. The aim of the present paper was to assess serum IAP as marker for cervical and endometrial carcinoma. Methods - Serum CA125 (cut-off limit=35 U/ml), SCC (cut-off limit=2 ng/ml), and IAP (cut-off limit=620 mug/ml) were measured in 50 patients with primary (n=41) or recurrent (n=9) cervical carcinoma and in 43 patients with primary (n=38) or recurrent (n=5) endometrial carcinoma. Results - As to primary cervical carcinoma, elevated levels of CA125, SCC and IAP were found in 17.6%, 76.5%, and 67.6% respectively of 34 patients with squamous cell carcinoma, and in 42.9%, 71.4%, and 85.7% respectively of 7 patients with cervical adenocarcinoma. The association of serum SCC and IAP had a significantly higher sensitivity than each marker alone for cervical carcinoma. Raised levels of one at least of the three markers were found in 7 out of 9 patients with recurrent cervical carcinoma. Elevated concentrations of CA125, SCC, and IAP were found in 21.0%, 31.6%, and 76.3% respectively of 38 patients with primary endometrial carcinoma. The association ot serum CA125 or SCC did not increase the sensitivity of serum IAP alone for endometrial carcinoma. Elevated levels of CA125 and IAP were found respectively in 5 and in 4 out of 5 patients with recurrent endometrial carcinoma. Conclusions - SCC and IAP seemed to be the most sensitive markers for squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix, respectively, while IAP was the antigen most frequently elevated in patients with endometrial carcinoma. Therefore serum IAP assay could have a role as a tumor marker for cervical and endometrial carcinoma.