Diagnosis of head and neck carcinomas by means of immunological tumour markers (Beta-2-microglobulin, immunoglobulin E, ferritin, N-acetyl-neuraminic acid, phosphohexose-isomerase).

In a great number of patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck, tumour markers in the serum were determined before any therapy, in order to evaluate their possible usefulness as parameters for monitoring therapy as well as for early detection of cancer. Patients with primary tumours (n = 101) were distributed to groups TI-II and TIII-IV according to the UICC classification 1978, and investigated together with a group of recurrences (n = 105). 50 age-matched healthy individuals served as controls. Substances investigated were beta 2-Microglobulin (beta 2-M), Immunoglobulin E (IgE), Ferritin, N-Acetyl-Neuraminic Acid (sialic acid; NANA), Phosphohexose-Isomerase (PHI). Not only were the mean values of the groups compared with each other, but also the percentages of the respective groups displaying increases above the upper norm limit (95. percentile) were calculated. Critical evaluation of the results led to the conclusion that in particular IgE, NANA and--with some reservations--ferritin should be further investigated as biological serum markers in serial determination with special regard to their possible relevance for cancer treatment.