[Tumor markers, significance for clinical diagnosis]

A wide variety of tumour markers has been described in bronchial carcinoma. Clinical studies have been most frequently conducted with the substances CEA, NSE, CK-BB and for the peptid hormones ACTH, calcitonin and ADH. The serum levels for CEA, NSE and CK-BB correlate to a certain extent with the stage of the tumour disease, the prognosis and the survival time. On the other hand, the peptid hormones have no clinical significance on account of their low sensitivity and specificity. Outside of clinical studies the determination of tumour markers in bronchial carcinoma is clinically irrelevant.