CYFRA 21-1 and ProGRP, tumor markers of lung cancer, are elevated in chronic renal failure patients

Abstract Serum levels of CYFRA 21-1(cytokeratin-19 fragment) and ProGRP (pro-gastrin-releasing peptide), the new prognostic markers of lung cancer, were measured by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay) in 27 (for CYFRA 21-1; male 13, female 14; age 54 ± 17 years) or 22 (for ProGRP; male 9, female 13; age 59 ± 18 years) patients with various serum creatinine levels, 42 haemodialysis (HD) patients (male 24, female 18; age 59 ± 14 years) and 30 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients (male 18, female 12; age 48 ± 9 years). All the patients were without clinical and radiological signs of lung cancer. Positive correlations were found between serum creatinine and serum CYFRA 21-1 and ProGRP levels. Serum levels of CYFRA 21-1 were above the cutoff limit (3.5 ng/mL) in 57% of HD patients (mean 4.07 ± 1.56 ng/mL) and in 73% of CAPD patients (mean 4.87 ± 1.56 ng/mL). Serum levels of ProGRP were above the cutoff limit (46.0 pg/mL) in 90% of HD patients (mean 107.0 ± 59.4 pg/mL) and in 93% of CAPD patients (mean 112.4 ± 4.5 pg/mL). Our data indicate that evaluation of renal function is essential when the measurement of these tumor markers is to be applied as one of the diagnostic tools of lung cancer.     

Two cases of eosinophilic gastroenteritis associated with analgesic-induced bronchial asthma

Abstract Two patients (one male and one female) with bronchial asthma were diagnosed as having eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EG). The condition was revealed by biopsies through fibrescopic endoscopy. According to the Klein classification, they had mucosal disease. The symptoms were abdominal pain and nausea. The symptoms subsided with corticosteroid administration in one patient and with palliative treatment in the other patient. It was suggested that fibrescopic endoscopy biopsy is needed to identify coexisting EG if a bronchial asthma patient complains of severe gastrointestinal symptoms.