[SCC (squamous cell carcinoma) antigen as a tumor marker in cervix cancers]

The TA-4 antigen obtained from squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix has a subunit, the SCC antigen, which can be measured in serum with a polyclonal antibody in a radioimmunoassay. SCC values less than or equal to 1.5 ng/ml were found in 96% of 48 clinically healthy women. This concentration was then set as the cut off value. Of the 122 patients with untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, 76% had SCC concentrations above 1.5 ng/ml. The CEA was raised in 50% of the cases. In stages III and IV, 89% of the SCC values was raised and 65% of the CEA. Among the 50 patients with recurrent or progressive cervical carcinoma elevated levels of SCC were found in 78% and raised CEA concentrations in 52%. Only in 25% of the cases were both tumour markers raised at the same time. Complete remission was clinically established in 48 patients with cervical carcinoma who had had increased SCC values prior to therapy. The SCC values were in the normal range in 71% of the patients, the CEA values were normal in 81%. The increase in SCC concentration often preceded the tumour recurrence by months. Up to 70% of the patients with vaginal or vulvar carcinoma had elevated SCC levels. SCC proved to be a valuable tumour marker for the follow up of cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancer.