Open AccessElevated serum CYFRA 21‐1 level as a diagnostic marker for thymic carcinoma
Author(s) -
Shiiya Haruhiko,
Ujiie Hideki,
Hida Yasuhiro,
Kato Tatsuya,
Kaga Kichizo,
Wakasa Satoru,
Kikuchi Eiki,
Shinagawa Naofumi,
Okada Kazufumi,
Ito Yoichi M.,
Matsuno Yoshihiro
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
thoracic cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1759-7714
pISSN - 1759-7706
DOI - 10.1111/1759-7714.14158
Subject(s) - medicine , thymoma , thymic carcinoma , interquartile range , carcinoma , receiver operating characteristic , tumor marker , stage (stratigraphy) , gastroenterology , pathology , oncology , cancer , paleontology , biology
Background No useful tumor markers have been identified for the diagnosis of thymic carcinomas. Serum cytokeratin 19 fragment, measured using the CYFRA 21‐1 immunoassay, is used as a tumor marker for squamous cell carcinomas in various malignant tumors. Here, we evaluated the value of CYFRA 21‐1 in diagnosing thymic carcinoma. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 94 patients with pathological diagnoses of thymic carcinoma or thymoma (32 and 62 patients, respectively) who were referred to our departments between January 2000 and March 2019. Primary outcomes included tumor marker levels and their diagnostic accuracy. Results Patients with thymic carcinoma were significantly more likely to be male (thymic carcinoma, 68.8%; thymoma, 40.3%; p = 0.02), have an advanced TNM stage ( p < 0.01), and a significantly higher CYFRA 21‐1 level than those with thymoma (thymic carcinoma: median = 4.2 ng/ml; interquartile range [IQR] = 2.1–6.1 ng/ml vs. thymoma: median = 1.2 ng/ml; IQR = 0.9–1.7 ng/ml; p < 0.01). Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated that the area under the curve for CYFRA 21‐1 to distinguish thymic carcinoma from thymoma was 0.86 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74–0.93; cutoff = 2.7 ng/ml; sensitivity = 68.8%; specificity = 95.2%). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that CYFRA 21‐1 (odds ratio = 25.6; 95% CI: 4.6–141.6; p < 0.01) was an independent predictor for thymic carcinoma after adjusting for TNM stage. Conclusions Serum CYFRA 21‐1 level may help in diagnosing thymic carcinoma.