Determination of tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) levels in different cancer types and controls

The clinical significance of the radioimmunological determination of tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) was studied in 1980 and 1981 in patients with different cancer types (cancer of the gastrointestinal tract, cancer of the genitourinary tract, cancer of the lung and other malignancies) as well as in patients with acute inflammatory diseases, other benign diseases and healthy controls. TPA levels were elevated in about 70% of patients with acute inflammatory diseases and in 50-80% of patients with malignancies having evidence of disease (ED). In all other groups, as healthy controls, benign diseases except inflammatory diseases and cancer patients who had no evidence of disease (NED) or partial remission (PR), TPA was above the normal range in 4-17%. Comparisons between cancer patients with ED and cancer patients with NED/PR, healthy controls and patients with benign diseases (without acute inflammatory diseases) have shown a significant difference (p less than 0.01). Data from a follow-up program from the years 1982 to 1984, including TPA determinations, are shown. TPA can be regarded as an additional 'marker' for proliferative processes. The test seems to be useful for monitoring cancer growth in advanced cancer patients who received chemo- or radiotherapy. Limitations result from the lack of tumor specificity of the marker TPA.