Abstract
The clinical significance of serum ferritin was studied for its possible use in serodiagnosis of malignancies.
Using immunoradiometric assay, a high incidence of elevated serum ferritin levels were found in patients with pancreatic carcinoma (75%), hepatoma (73%), lung cancer (59%), and acute myelogenous leukemia (95.5%). When blined serum samples (143) from NIH were tested, the sensitivity was somewhat decreased (40∼45%) but the specificity was reasonably high (85%). This sensitivity and specificity was almost the same as that of CEA.
The combination assay of ferritin and CEA for lung cancer and that of ferritin and ribonuclease for pancreatic carcinoma seemes to be promising to increase the sensitivity. In most cases of lung cancer and pancreatic carcinoma, serum ferritin assay was useful in monitoring the operative treatment of tumor. No apparent correlation was observed in serum ferritin levels and the staging of lung cancer, whereas in pancreatic carcinoma, mean serum ferritin concentration increases as the stage advanced.
The heart ferritin assay (acidic isoferritin assy) was also evaluated for the diagnosis of some malignancies. The sensitivity was increased by this assay in most of pancreatic carcinoma and some of hepatoma. Elevated levels were also observed in acute myocardial infarction.
