The usefulness of tumour markers in the diagnostics of head and neck cancer patients

The dominating histological type among head and neck tumours is squamous cell carcinoma. This creates specific preferences in choosing tumour markers determined for diagnosing head and neck cancer patients. Due to their limited usability, CEA determinations have not been employed in the biochemical diagnostics of this group of patients. For a long time, the squamous cell carcinoma antigen was considered to be a marker of choice in this respect. However, the relatively low sensibility and diagnostic specificity of the results of its determination, as well as low expression in poorly differentiated tumours, stimulate search for other markers. Large expectations are associated with the determination of CYFRA 21-1 which is a soluble fragment of cytokeratin 19. It has been shown that the frequency of its elevated levels depends on the clinical stage, histological differentiation, tumour size, nodal status and presence of distant metastases. The results of CYFRA 21-1 determinations are assumed to be of significant predictive and prognostic value. Aiming at increasing the efficiency of biochemical diagnostics in head and neck cancer patients, an analysis was made to find the usability of other markers and their biologically active substances, among others, sialic acid, ferritine, alpha-L-fucosidase, complementary in relation to SCC-Ag and/or CYFRA 21-1 determinations of these substances, allowing more thorough diagnostics of head and neck cancer patients.