Serum tumor markers (CEA, TPA, IAP and FRN) were measured in 36 patients withpulmonary tuberculosis before and during chemotherapy and the significance of serumtumor markers in pulmonary tuberculosis were compared to that in patients with lungcancer.
By the chest X-ray on admission, serum tumor marker levels in the patients withcavity were higher compared with the patients without cavity.
Serial measurement of serum markers were performed during chemotherapy. Serumlevel was increased untill three months after chemotherapy and thereafter decreased.
At the active phase in pulmonary tuberculosis, serum tumor markers showed higherlevel. Thus, the measurements of serum markers are not always useful as a screening testfor patients with lung cancer.
It is nessesary, however, to consider the coexistence of carcinoma in the case ofpatients with higher level of serum tumor markers or more than cut off level at two monthsafter negative conversion of tubercle bacilli.
