[Changes in the levels of tissue polypeptide antigen and carcinoembryonic antigen in the blood of workers exposed to aromatic amines].

The tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and carcinoembryonal antigen (CEA) are the markers used for screening and treatment monitoring of the bladder cancer. A study was carried out in a group of 38 workers chronically exposed to aromatic amines in a dye factory. The findings were compared with those of he study on CS2 exposure and for the non-exposed workers. The results revealed a statistically significant differences between TPA values in the exposed and non-exposed workers. This finding does not apply to CEA. No significant differences between the markers' values were found in the group of workers exposed to CS2. The highest percentage of abnormal values, 29.2%, refers to the workers with a low acetylation phenotype; taking into account the smoking habit the TPA value would amount to 102 U/L in the smokers and to 64.8 U/L in the non-smokers. The studies indicate the higher usefulness of TPA as a marker of the effects of exposure to aromatic amines than that of CEA.