Detection of free intraperitoneal tumour cells based on conventional cytology, qRT-PCR for mRNA of CEA, EpCAM, CA-125 and CEA protein analysis at the first PIPAC procedure and at the third PIPAC procedure.
| Sensitivity (95% CI) | Specificity | Test positives PIPAC 1 | Test positives PIPAC 3 | |
| Conventional cytology | X | X | 15/26 (58%) | 10/19 (53%) |
| mRNA CEA | 0.75 (0.53 to 0.90) | 1.00 | 18/24 (75%) | 12/21 (57%) |
| mRNA EpCAM | 0.71 (0.49 to 0.87) | 1.00 | 17/24 (71%) | 14/21 (67%) |
| mRNA CA-125 | 0.43 (0.18 to 0.71) | 1.00 | X | X |
| mRNA CEA/EpCAM | 0.88 (0.71 to 0.97) | 1.00 | 20/24 (83%) | 16/21 (76%) |
| CEA protein | X | X | 15/21 (71%) | 14/19 (74%) |
The sensitivity and specificity of mRNA analyses are found by the receiver operating characteristics shown in figure 1.
CA-125, cancer antigen 125; CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen; EpCAM, epithelial cell adhesion molecule; PIPAC, pressurised intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy; X, not analysed; qRT-PCR, quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR.