Abstract

Coal miners have an increased risk of pneumoconiosis. Tumor markers that are used in screening, diagnosis and follow-up of lung cancers are also useful to distinguish malignant and benign lung disorders. Carcinoembriyonic antigen, neurone specific enolase, cytokeratin 21-1 and ferritin were studied to compare and examine the possible contribution of CEA, NSE and CYFRA in the diagnosis of early and low-grade pneumoconiosis in coal miners with (34 cases) or without pneumoconiosis (27 cases). There were statistically significant differences between groups concerning NSE and ferritin levels (p<0.001, p<0.001 respectively). No difference was obtained for CYFRA 21-1 and CEA (p<0.05). The relationship of NSE with age and smoking was investigated, but no correlation was found (r=0.224, p=0.204; r=0.291, p=0.095 respecitvely). However, there was a positive correlation between NSE and exposure duration (r=0.425, p=0.012). Similarly, there was no relationship between ferritin levels and age or smoking (r=0.230, p=0.191; r=0.248, p=0.158 respectively), but there was a positive correlation with exposure duration (r=0.390, p=0.023). In conclusion, NSE and ferritin were found to be higher in coal miners with pneumoconiosis. According to these results, tumor markers are neither sensitive nor specific enough for the determination of early and low grade pneumoconiosis. One of the interesting and important findings of this study is that NSE values were higher than 12.5 µg/mL in most of the pneumoconiosis cases (%73.5). So, the NSE cut-off value used in cancer screening of coal workers with pneumoconiosis should increased.