Increases in tumor markers are associated with primary Sjögren’s syndrome-associated interstitial lung disease

AIMS: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most common type of pulmonary involvement of extraglandular complication in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS), but the diagnosis of pSS-associated ILD (pSS-ILD) is still challenging. This study aimed to investigate the levels of serum tumor markers in pSS patients with or without ILD (pSS-non-ILD) and explore its diagnostic value for pSS-ILD. METHODS: A total of 168 pSS-ILD patients and age- and sex-matched 538 pSS-non-ILD were recruited. The levels of peripheral tumor markers, including carbohydrate antigen (CA)153, CA125, CA19-9, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), β-human chorionic gonadotropin, alpha fetoprotein, CA724, and complexed prostate specific antigen, the clinical manifestations, and general laboratory indicators were measured and collected. RESULTS: Compared with pSS-non-ILD, pSS-ILD patients had higher levels of disease activity indicators, such as EULAR Sjögren’s syndrome disease activity index, ESR, and CRP, and elevated serum levels of tumor markers: NSE, CEA, CA125, and CA153. The serum levels of CA153 [odds ratio (OR) = 4.521, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [1.871, 10.928)] and CEA [OR = 2.879, 95% CI = (1.305, 6.353)] were significantly correlated with the onset of SS-ILD. CA153 was the only tumor marker with area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) over 0.7 [AUC = 0.743, 95% CI = (0.70, 0.79)]. CONCLUSION: Tumor markers increased in serum of pSS-ILD patients. Higher CA153 levels are significantly correlated to the increased risk of ILD in patients with pSS and may be directly involved in the pathogenesis of pSS-ILD. Serum CA153 had the best diagnostic value in those tumor markers for pSS-ILD without malignancy.