Investigation of the Serum Levels of Tumor Markers in the Patients Chronic Renal Failure

Abstract

Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) is characterized by irreversible loss of renal function. Dialysis or renal transplantation is used for treatment. Hemodialysis is the most common treatment method of CRF. In this study, we aimed to investigate serum levels of tumor markers in patients with CRF who were treated by hemodialysis. This study was performed on study group and control group; each group consisted of 24 people who did not have any malignancy. In both group, blood samples were taken after hemodialysis and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA 15-3, CA 125 and ?-fetoprotein (AFP) were analyzed. The serum levels of CEA (P < 0.002) and CA 15-3 (P < 0.04) of study group were higher than control group and statistically significant. However, the serum levels of AFP and CA 125 were not statistically significant (P > 0.05) and there were no difference between the results of AFP and CA 125 of both groups.  The incidence of some cancer types is high in the patients with CRF according to literature. Especially, kidney, prostate, uterine tumors are more common in the patients with CRF. Additionally, serum levels of tumor markers may increase in the patients with CRF due to damaged renal clearance and elimination without malignancy.

Keywords: Chronic renal failure, hemodialysis, CA 15-3, CA 125, AFP, CEA.