1. Plasma calcitonin as a marker of disease activity in patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung
- Author
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Leonard J. Deftos, Sabina R. Wallach, Raymond Taetle, Ivor Royston, and Herbert Wohl
- Subjects
Calcitonin ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Lung Neoplasms ,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Clinical Biochemistry ,Remission, Spontaneous ,Spontaneous remission ,Biochemistry ,Small-cell carcinoma ,Endocrinology ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,Carcinoma, Small Cell ,Prospective cohort study ,Chemotherapy ,Lung ,business.industry ,Clinical Laboratory Techniques ,Biochemistry (medical) ,medicine.disease ,Chemotherapy regimen ,Radiation therapy ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,business ,hormones, hormone substitutes, and hormone antagonists ,Follow-Up Studies - Abstract
To evaluate the usefulness of plasma calcitonin as an index of tumor burden and disease activity, we undertook a prospective study of serial calcitonin measurements in a group of patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung from diagnosis throughout a period of intensive therapy. Plasma calcitonin was significantly elevated in 84% of patients with extensive small cell carcinoma of the lung and was not elevated in patients with limited disease at the time of diagnosis. The elevated values fell significantly in response to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and reflected regression of followable disease and improvement in clinical status. A significant correlation existed between plasma calcitonin and extent of disease. Relapse was generally associated with an increase in elevated plasma calcitonin levels, and calcitonin appeared to reflect tumor burden. The serial measurement of plasma calcitonin is useful in the management of the patient with small cell carcinoma of the lung.
- Published
- 1981