Clinical Significance of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen in Cancer of the Human Uterine Cervix

Serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCa) concentrations were determined by a radioimmunoassay kit before and during the treatment of 50 patients with cervical carcinoma: 44 with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 6 with adenocarcinoma. The positivity rate of SCCa was 50% (52% for SCC and 33% for adenocarcinoma). The sensitivity of SCCa for SCC was twice as high as that of CEA and CA-125. Low serum concentrations were observed in early-stage carcinoma, indicating that SCCa is not useful for diagnosis. In advanced cases, serum levels were directly and significantly correlated with the stage of the disease.