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Serum level of carbohydrate antigen 15-3 in patients with interstitial lung diseases and its correlation with pulmonary function and high-resolution computed tomography

Egyptian Journal of Bronchology volume 13, pages 196–203 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) is a central protein core of mucin-1, a high-molecular-weight glycoprotein, found in alveolar and extrapulmonary epithelial cells that increases in interstitial lung disease. It uses antibodies against different epitopes. It is also considered a tumor marker for breast cancer.

Aim

The aim was to evaluate the value of CA15-3 as a biomarker in patients with interstitial lung diseases and to evaluate the correlation between CA15-3 level and radiological findings in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and pulmonary function in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs).

Materials and methods

The study was performed on 60 adult patients with ILD and 20 healthy controls. We classified the patients into three groups according to HRCT findings: group I ground glass (18 patients), group II reticulation (27 patients), and group III honeycombing (15 patients). All patients were subjected to HRCT, spirometry, collagen markers, and serum CA15-3 level evaluation.

Results

CA15-3 level in patients with ILD was significantly higher than control (P<0.001). CA15-3 level in reticulation and honeycombing groups was significantly higher than ground glass group, and CA15-3 level in reticulation group was significantly higher than honeycombing group (P=0.003). This may be explained by that reticulation is active fibrosis, whereas honeycombing is established fibrosis. A significant negative correlation has been noticed between CA15-3 level and forced vital capacity in the three different groups (P<0.05, r=−0.304).

Conclusion

The serum level of CA15-3 is strongly elevated in patients with ILD. CA15-3 is a noninvasive, nonexpensive, rapid biomarker in ILD, being proportional to the extent of lung injury.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chest Diseases, Beni-Suef University, Egypt

    Randa Salah El-Din Mohamed, Mahmoud Mohammed El-Batanouny & Neveen Mahmoud Amin

  2. Department of Clinical Pathology, Beni-Suef University, Egypt

    Rasha Abdel Razek Mahmoud

  3. Hatem Rushdy Street, Beni-Suef, Egypt

    Doaa A. A. Abd-Elhalim MB, BCH, MSc

Authors
  1. Randa Salah El-Din Mohamed
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  2. Mahmoud Mohammed El-Batanouny
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  3. Neveen Mahmoud Amin
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  4. Rasha Abdel Razek Mahmoud
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  5. Doaa A. A. Abd-Elhalim MB, BCH, MSc
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Doaa A. A. Abd-Elhalim MB, BCH, MSc.

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El-Din Mohamed, R.S., El-Batanouny, M.M., Amin, N.M. et al. Serum level of carbohydrate antigen 15-3 in patients with interstitial lung diseases and its correlation with pulmonary function and high-resolution computed tomography. Egypt J Bronchol 13, 196–203 (2019). https://doi.org/10.4103/ejb.ejb_47_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/ejb.ejb_47_18

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