[Study of simultaneous dosage of carcino-embryonic antigen (C.E.A.) and beta 2-microglobulin in serum and pleural liquid (author's transl)].

Simultaneous dosage of carcino-embryonic antigen and beta 2-microglobulin was studied in serum and pleural liquid. Among the 20 patients with non-neoplasic infections, the carcino-embryonic antigen was not increased in the serum and only once at a border-line level in the pleura. The level of beta 2-microglobulin seems to be related to the number of lymphocytes in the pleural liquid (increase in 45% of the cases compared to 20% in the serum). Among the 31 cancer patients, carcino-embryonic antigen is increased in the serum of 36% of the cases and in the pleura of 48%. In 5 observations, the pleural levels were considerably increased compared with serum levels, suggesting the existence of a pleural metastasis. The beta 2-microglobulin is elevated in only 26% of the cases in the pleural liquid and in 13% in the serum. At the present state of knowledge, it therefore seems unnecessary to continue investigations concerning the beta 2-microglobulin. On the contrary, the pleural dosage of carcinoembryonic antigen could contribute to the diagnosis.