Serum Carcinoembryonic antigen and ferritin in bronchogenic carcinoma

To evaluate the prognostic value of carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA] and ferritin [FER] in patients with various types of bronchogenic carcinoma, serum levels of these tumor associated antigens were assessed using radioimmunoassay kits in seventy patients and compared with fifty normal healthy subjects as controls. Significantly high levels of both CEA and FER were observed when compared with normal controls [P c 0.001]. The sensitivity rates for CEA and FER in these patients were [81.4% and 85.7%] respectively. The sensitivity rates of CEA and FER among patients with squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, small cell carcinoma, and carcinoid tumor were [89.3%, 84.6%, 50%, 50%] and [73.3%, 78.6%, 50%, 100%] respectively. There was higher sensitivity rates of CEA and FER in patients with metastases [stage II and IV] [91.6%, 91.6%] than those of non metastatic patients [stage I and 2] [71.7%, 63%] respectively. The specificity for differentiantion between bronchogenic carcinoma and normal controls for CEA and FER was 100%. It seems that simultaneous determination of both CEA and FER is of great Value for early detection of metastases and for monitoring patients with broncho genic carcinoma

Mycoplasma pneumoniae of adults in Iraq

In a study of 150 patients with community acquired pneumoniae, 24 [16%] were proved to be mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. There was a peak inoidence in spring. Apart from two patients with erythema mualtiforme clipical findings were not specific. Radiological findings were also not specific and it was unilateral in 41.66%. complement fixation test was diagnostic whereas cold agglutinins test was positive in less than 50% of patients. Erythromycin was effective in alI, though complete radiological resolution took more than 4 weeks