We wanted to evaluate the CT findings and the peak SUV according to the levels of cyfra 21-1 and CEA in patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).

We evaluated the TNM staging, cell types, the CT findings and peak SUV of the NSCLC in 234 patients with NSCLC according to the tumor marker levels. The correlations of the CT findings and the peak SUV with the tumor markers were evaluated in 35 patients with stage I disease.

The sensitivities of the combined tumor markers cyfra 21-1 and CEA in the NSCLC for each TNM staging (I-IV) were 48.5%, 66.7%, 78.3% and 84.3%, respectively (p<0.05). Cyfra 21-1 was more sensitive for squamous cell carcinoma and CEA was more sensitive for adenocarcinoma. The tumor size, tumor necrosis and peak SUV were greater in the NSCLC with an elevated cyfra 21-1 level than that in the NSCLC without an elevated cyfra 21-1 level (p<0.05). For stage I disease, the level of cyfra 21-1 was linearly correlated with the tumor size (r=0.54) and the peak SUV (r=0.46), and the level of CEA was high in the spiculated masses (p<0.05).

The NSCLC with an elevated cyfra 21-1 level shows larger, more frequently necrosis and a higher peak SUV than the NSCLC without an elevated Cyfra 21-1 level. For stage 1 disease, the tumor size and peak SUV correlate with the level of cyfra 21-1, and spiculated masses show an elevated level of CEA.piculated masses show an elevated level of CEA.