Serum ferritin in renal cell carcinoma: Effect of tumor size, volume grade, and stage

Aim: To study the levels of serum ferritin in patients of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
Patients and methods: Serum ferritin levels were measured preoperatively in 32 patients with radiological evidence of RCC using an enzyme immunoassay. The largest diameter of the primary tumor was measured in the pathological specimens in patients undergoing radical nephrectomy while in patients with nonoperable tumor maximum tumor dimension was taken from CT scan. Pathological staging was done according TNM-1997.
Results: Mean serum ferritin value in patients of RCC was 283.23 ± 77.38 ng/ml while in controls the mean value was 79.98 ± 32.96 ng/ml (P < 0.001) which was statistically significant. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of serum ferritin in RCC observed was 92.6, 73.86, and 81.85%, respectively.
Conclusions: Serum ferritin levels are elevated in patients with RCC although its actual source is unclear. Further studies are needed to establish the role of ferritin in RCC.