Background: Serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) levels are elevated in sinonasal inverted papilloma (IP). However, the relationship between tumor volume and SCCA level, and the influence of skin or pulmonary diseases in which the SCCA level is high, have not been established.
Objective: To clarify whether the level of serum SCCA can be used as a diagnostic marker of IP.
Methods: Serum SCCA level was measured in 30 patients with IP (IP group) and 57 with inflammatory disease (inflammatory group).
Results: Overall, 83.3% in the IP group showed elevated serum SCCA levels regardless of whether they were new patients or patients with recurrent IP, and SCCA levels rapidly decreased after surgery. Only 5.3% had elevated SCCA levels in the inflammatory group. Before surgery, the IP group had a median preoperative SCCA level of 2.4 ng/mL, whereas the median preoperative SCCA level was 0.9 ng/mL in the inflammatory group. Pre- and postoperative SCCA levels were significantly different in the IP group. With regard to the IP diagnosis in the IP and inflammatory groups based on the SCCA level (≤1.5 ng/mL), sensitivity and specificity were 83.3% and 94.7%, respectively. There was no significant correlation between SCCA elevation and respiratory function, and skin disease in the two groups, except for smoking in the IP group. Preoperative SCCA levels were significantly higher in smokers than in never-smokers in the IP group. Tumor volume was significantly correlated with SCCA level in IP. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that tumor volume was a predictor of preoperative SCCA elevation (p = 0.036; 95% confidence interval, 1.027-2.176).
Conclusion: Serum SCCA level is a reliable diagnostic marker to distinguish new and recurrent IP from inflammatory disease. Because smokers tended to have higher SCCA levels in IP, a different cutoff level might be needed. Although respiratory dysfunction and skin disease were not related to SCCA level, they should be taken into consideration when evaluating SCCA level.