Expression of beta-2-microglobulin by nasopharyngeal carcinoma. |
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Authors: | W Shiu S F Leung W T Leung S Ho M Tao |
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Institution: | Department of Clinical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong. |
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Abstract: | Serum beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2M) levels of 274 Chinese patients with different stages of nasopharyngeal carcinoma at presentation and that of 35 patients who developed distant metastases post-treatment were assayed. beta 2M level was found to increase with advancing stage of disease, with statistically significant differences among early-stage, advanced-stage, and metastatic disease. Elevated pre-treatment beta 2M levels were expressed more frequently by tumours with lower degree of histological differentiation. The sensitivity of serum beta 2M for diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, however, is low. |
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