Evaluation of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and brain-type creatine kinase (CK-BB) in serum from patients with carcinoma of the lung.

The levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and the activities of creatine kinase isoenzyme BB (CK-BB) were assessed in 84 patients with primary lung carcinoma and in 20 patients with nonmalignant lung diseases. The level of CEA was measured by the immunoenzymatic method using monoclonal antibodies (Abbott). The activity of CK-BB was assayed using a commercial kit (Boehringer Manheim, Monotest CK-NAC aktiviert). Increased levels of CEA were observed in 62% of patients, mostly in patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), while enhanced activities of CK-BB were found in 39%, first of all in patients with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). A relationship was found between enhanced levels of CEA or CK-BB and the degree of carcinoma advance. The increased values of studied markers seem to indicate the limited possibility of surgical treatment and they are also important in prognosis after the resection of lung tissue.