The Value of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen as a Predictor of Nodal Metastasis in Cervical Cancer

Park, Chang Soo; Ko, Hyeong Kweon; Kang, Gi Joo; Yoon, Man Soo; Sol, Mee Young

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The clinical value of preoperative serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen(SCC) in relation to clinical stage, tumor volume, disease extent and prognosis has already reported in many papers. The aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between preoperative SCC level and pelvic lymph node metastasis. Matrials and METHODS: From March 1995 to December 1998, 157 patients who examined pretreatment SCC levels before undergoing radical hysterectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix were included. The effect of pelvic lymph node status on the SCC level was examined by comparing 125 cases with cancer limited uterus or upper vagina and 32 cases with cancer confined to the uterus (including upper vagina) and pelvic lymph node using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: 90% of patients without pelvic lymph node metastasis showed SCC levels of 2.9ng/ml or below. 60.7% of patients with serum SCC level more than 2.9ng/ml exhibited pelvic lymph node metastasis. The marker values exceeding 2.9ng/ml increased risk of nodal metastasis 5 times compared with serum level 2.9ng/ml or below. Multivariate analysis confirmed that the pelvic lymph node metastasis had a large impact on the marker level than did tumor size or depth of stromal infilteration.
CONCLUSION
SCC levels greater than 2.9ng/ml can be considered a high risk zone for nodal metastasis