Squamous cell carcinoma antigen and carcinoembryonic antigen levels as prognostic factors for the response of cervical carcinoma to chemotherapy

Between January 1986 and December 1988, 36 patients with primary advanced or recurrent cervical carcinoma were treated with cytostatic drugs in our department. Treatment at first was a combination of cisplatin and etoposide. After August 1987, a combination of carboplatin and ifosfamide was used. In all patients showing primary response to therapy, the squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels fell rapidly to normal after one or two cycles. In contrast, clinical remission was not obtained in those patients with levels which remained high or rose again following an initial decrease. Chemotherapy is often the only available therapy for advanced cervical carcinoma or recurrent disease, although the results of treatment, especially in squamous cell carcinoma, remain poor. The course of the SCC or CEA levels can help to decide whether the patient would profit from a continuation of the therapy. With the tumor markers, treatment can be individualized so that, above all, cases of therapy failure or further tumor progression can be detected early and the patient can be spared the severe side effects of the treatment.