Clinical assay of serum SCC-Ag in urothelial cancers

Serum squamous cell carcinoma related antigen (SCC-Ag) values were determined in 86 patients with urothelial cancers. Mean +/- standard deviation for serum SCC-Ag, was 3.4 +/- 0.98 ng/ml and positive values (greater than 2.0 ng/ml) were found in 27%. Neither pathological stage nor cell grade of the urothelial cancer showed any relation to serum SCC-Ag. Serum SCC-Ag. changed parallel to the clinical course. These results suggest that, as there is no specific tumor marker in urothelial cancer, serum SCC-Ag. may be a useful aid in diagnosing cancer and monitoring these patients. Used together with another non-specific marker, an increase in the accuracy of diagnosis of these malignancies can be expected.