RESUMO
Objective: To evaluate the effect of dialysis and kidney transplantation on serum levels of several tumor markers such as PSA, AFP, CA125, CA19-9, CA15-3, CEA and to compare with normal age matched controls
Methods: Between September of 2000 and July of 2001, the following tumor markers: PSA, AFP, CA125, CA19-9, CA15-3 and CEA were measured by ELISA Method in 29 hemodialyzed patients [group A] in 30 successfully transplanted patients [group B] and in 30 normal volunteers who did not present any clinical symptoms or signs of neoplasia
Results: The serum level of CEA was above the cutoff limit in 6.7% of hemodialyzed patients [group A] but was in the normal range in transplanted and control groups. The level of CEA were significantly higher in hemodialyzed patients in comparison to other groups [p<0.003]. Serum levels of AFP and PSA were not significantly different between the three groups [p=0.595 and p=0.545, respectively]. Although serum level of CA 19-9 was elevated in 3.3% of hemodialyzed and control group the differences between the three groups were not significant [p=0.507]. Serum level of CA 125 was elevated in 13.3% of group A, 13.8% of group B and 6.7% of control group [p=0.347]. Serum level of CA15-3 was elevated in 13.3%, 6.9% of group A, B and control group, respectively and the differences were not significant [p=0.156]
Conclusion: Hemodialyzed and transplanted patients show a high false positive rate of CEA, CA125 and CA15-3 and may be unreliable for monitoring of malignancies in these patients while other markers evaluated [AFP, PSA and CA 19.9] appear to maintain their specificity in these situations