Alterations of PSA, CA15.3, CA125, Cyfra21-1, CEA, CA19.9, AFP and Tag72 tumor markers in human blood serum due to long term exposure to high levels of natural background radiation in Ramsar, Iran

ABSTRACT Background : Ramsar (Mazandran province) is known for its extremely high levels of natural background radia
Ÿon. Although no excess cancer rate is reported in these areas by epidemiological studies, the study of tumor markers in the inhabitants of these areas may shed some light on the impact of high levels of background radia
Ÿon on cancer induc
Ÿon. Materials and Methods : The level of background gamma radia
Ÿon as well as indoor radon was determined using RDS‐110 and CR‐39 dosimeters. Thirty five individuals from a high background radia
Ÿon area (HBRA) and 53 individuals from a normal background radia
Ÿon area (NBRA) were randomly selected to par
Ÿcipate in the study. Commercial ELISA kits (sandwich type ELISA tests) were used to measure the serum levels of PSA, CA15.3, CA125, Cyfra21‐1, CEA, CA19.9, AFP and Tag72 tumor markers. Results : Among the eight biomarkers inves
Ÿgated, the means of PSA, CA15.3, CA125, CA19.9 and AFP concentra
Ÿons between the HBRAs and NBRAs were not significantly different. However, Cyfra21, CEA and Tag72 in HBRA group revealed sta
Ÿs
Ÿcally significant increases compared to those of NBRA group (P<0.05). Furthermore, a sta
Ÿs
Ÿcally significant correla
Ÿon between the external gamma dose as well as indoor radon level and the concentra
Ÿon of CEA (P<0.001), Cyfra‐21(P<0.001) and TAG 72 (P<0.001 and 0.01 respec
Ÿvely) biomarkers were observed.