PMID: 18214036Jan 25, 2008Paper

Cut-off-independent tumour marker evaluation using ROC approximation

Anticancer Research
Norman Bitterlich, Joachim Schneider

Abstract

The analysis of tumour markers is based on the evaluation of data in relation to defined cut-off values. Changes in the method of determination or reference study group have led to different results. Cut-off-independent diagnostic evaluation of laboratory parameters can avoid laboratory-based and method-derived systematic errors. The decision guarantee (DG) is an appropriate parameter that can be determined using a defined reference population and its respective receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The influence of ROC differences on the determination of DG is examined. A group of 281 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed lung cancer and a control group of 231 patients were examined. Histological classification of the tumour cases defined in 59 small-cell carcinoma, 102 squamous cell carcinomas, 66 adenocarcinomas and 54 large-cell carcinomas or mixed bronchial carcinomas without classification. The control group without tumours consisted of 23 healthy subjects, 125 patients with silicosis or asbestosis, 27 with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and 56 suffering from inflammatory lung diseases. Cytokeratin-19 fragments (CYFRA 21-1) was the most sensitive marker with a sensitiv...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell

Basal cell carcinoma is a form of malignant skin cancer found on the head and neck regions and has low rates of metastasis. Discover the latest research on basal cell carcinoma here.

Carcinoma, Bronchogenic

Bronchogenic Carcinoma is a malignant lung cancer arising in the epithelium of the bronchus or bronchiole. Discover the latest research on Bronchogenic Carcinoma here.