PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - H Biran
AU  - N Friedman
AU  - L Neumann
AU  - M Pras
AU  - R Shainkin-Kestenbaum
TI  - Serum amyloid A (SAA) variations in patients with cancer: correlation with disease activity, stage, primary site, and prognosis.
AID  - 10.1136/jcp.39.7.794
DP  - 1986 Jul 01
TA  - Journal of Clinical Pathology
PG  - 794--797
VI  - 39
IP  - 7
4099  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/39/7/794.short
4100  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/39/7/794.full
SO  - J Clin Pathol1986 Jul 01; 39
AB  - Serum amyloid A (SAA) was determined in 160 patients with cancer. Active disease was associated with high titre compared with the titre in non-active condition (31.8 v 5.8 micrograms/ml, respectively; p = 0.0002). SAA value showed a direct correlation with the stage of the disease: it was lowest at stages 1 and 2 and highest at the metastatic stage 4 (stage 1 v 4, p = 0.001; stage 2 v 3, p = 0.05). Cancers of the lung and unknown primary site were characterised by highly increased SAA concentration. Initial SAA value had prognostic significance: a value below 10 micrograms/ml correlated with survival advantage, whereas a higher initial value indicated a greater likelihood of a poor outcome (actuarial survival analysis p less than 0.001). When stage was accounted for, initial SAA value had significant prognostic bearing on survival of patients with advanced disease (stages 3 and 4) but not on that of patients with limited disease (stages 1 and 2). Serial testing showed good concordance between changes in SAA titre and clinical course.