[Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)--nature and usage in patients with cervical carcinoma]

Squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) is isolated as a heterologic antiserum against cells of cervical carcinoma in 1977 by Kato u Torigoe. It is not specific for cervical carcinoma and rises up in cases of carcinoma vulvae, esophageal carcinoma, carcinoma pulmonum, ext. High levels are detected also in psoriasis, sarcoidosis, liver and kidney diseases. SCC is not a reliable marker in diagnosis and screening. Some trials show a correlation between the preterapeutic levels of SCC and the prognosis, but none of them is randomized. So the predictive value of SCC, except the nodal metastasis, stays on a low level of evidence and recommendation. On the contrary is the data for SCC as a monitoring marker for a local recurrence in patients after primary treatment. The sensitivity and specificity of the marker for a cervical carcinoma recurrence varies between 56 and 86% sensitivity and 83 and 100% specificity. A new possibility for an early recurrence finding in patients with rising SCC gives FDG PET/CT. The method is highly potent in detection of local recurrence and distant metastasis in patients with cervical carcinoma and is suitable for staging, restaging and monitoring of these patients.