Non isotopic assays for tumor markers as a monitor for treatment

ABSTRACT

Tumor markers [cancer embryonic antigen [CEA], alpha fetoprotein [AFP] and cancer antigens 50, 125 [CA 50 and CA 125] serum levels] were measured by time resolved fluoro and enzyme immunoassays [TRFIA and EIA] in 40 cases of carcinoma of the ovary and uterus. While, rechecking the precision of the non isotopic methods, the coefficient of variation [CV] ranged from 7.7 to 9.4% for CEA and 7.8 to 11.4% for CA 125. Analytical recovery was 97.8% and 95.6%, sensitivity was 0.2 ng/ml and 3 u/ml and the correlation coefficient [r] with RIA was 0.96 and 0.94, respectively. The assays were repeated three months after treatment. A statically significant rise was found in the levels of CEA, AFP and CA 125 before treatment as compared with a control group. A significant drop in the levels occurred in serum CEA, AFP and CA 50 levels in cases of ovarian malignancy and in serum CA 125 in cases of ovarian and uterine malignancy after the three months treatment