Serum carbohydrate antigen 125 [CA 125], thymidine kinase [TK] and haptoglobin in acute childhood leukemia and lymphomas: significant markers in the diagnosis, prognosis therapy monitoring and prediction of biochemical relapses

ABSTRACT

Serum carbohydrate antigen 125 [CA125], Thymidine-Kinase [TK] and Haptoglobin were studied in 35 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL], 15 cases of acute non lymphoblastic leukemia [ANLL], 30 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL], 10 cases of Hodgkin lymphoma [HL], 20 cases of nonmalignant lymphadenopathy [NML] and 15 healthy controls. Significantly higher serum levels of the studied parameters were observed in all malignant disease groups studied before treatment than both control group and the group of benign lymphadenopathy. Cases with abdominal NHL showed significantly higher levels of serum CA125 than either head and neck or mediastinal NHL. Serum CA125 showed the highest sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing cases of NHL, while TK showed the highest sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing cases of either ALL or ANLL. After induction of remission, all studied, malignant groups showed significantly higher serum levels of the studied parameters than par therapy serum levels. Significantly, higher serum levels of CA125, TK and Haptoglobin were observed in all of the studied malignant disease groups before clinical and/or hematological relapse than controls by a period that ranged from 2 to 6 months [Biochemical relapse]. Significantly, higher levels of the studied parameters were observed in C N S involvement by leukemia than in cases without C N S involvement. The studied parameters CA125, TK and Haptoglobin appeared to be useful markers in the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy monitoring of acute childhood leukemias and lymphomas. They are useful markers to detect relapse of cases of ALL, ANLL, NHL and HL