Original Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1998. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 15, 1998; 4(2): 147-149
Published online Apr 15, 1998. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v4.i2.147
A clinical evaluation of serological diagnosis for pancreatic cancer
Xiao-Yan Zhao, Shi-Yuan Yu, Shi-Ping Da, Li Bai, Xiao-Zhong Guo, Xiao-Jing Dai, Yuan-Ming Wang
Xiao-Yan Zhao, Shi-Yuan Yu, Shi-Ping Da, Li Bai, Xiao-Zhong Guo, Xiao-Jing Dai, Yuan-Ming Wang, Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 430037, China
Xiao-Yan Zhao, Ph.D., male, born on 1962-03-29 in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, graduated from the Third Military Medical University as a postgraduate in 1995, now associated professor and assistant director of the Department of Gastroenterology, having 12 papers published.
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Xiao-Yan Zhao, Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 430037, China
Telephone: +86·23·68755604
Received: December 5, 1997
Revised: December 30, 1997
Accepted: January 12, 1998
Published online: April 15, 1998
Abstract

AIM: To assess the diagnostic values of tumor markers for pancreatic cancer.

METHODS: Pancreatic cancer-associated antigen from colonic mucosa (PCAAc), pancreas-specific antigen (PaA), pancreatic oncofetal antigen (POA) and minimolecular pancreatic antigen (mPOA) were detected by double antibodies Sandwich ELISA; CA19-9, elastase 1 (E1), human pancreatic elastase 1 (HPE1) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) by radioimmunoassay (RIA); general activities of ribo-nuclease (RNase) and its isoenzymes (RNase I and RNase II) by biochemistry and PAEG; glycylproline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (GPDA) by biochemistry and α1-antitrypsin (α 1AT) by rocket immunoelectrophoresis (rocket-IE).

RESULTS: The detection of serum POA, mPOA, PaA, PCAAc, CA19-9, RNase and RNase I was able to differentiate pancreatic cancer from the benign disorders and non-pancreatic malignancies with a sensitivity from 66.75% to 80.0% and a specificity from 88.5% to 96.69%. POA, mPOA, PCAAc, HPE1, E1 and GPDA were related to the pancreatic cancer at the head which demonstrated higher sensitivity from 63.64% to 85.71%. The detection of serum HPE1 was especially helpful for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer with smaller diameters. The determination of 3 or 4 kinds of tumor markers simultaneously would increase the detection rate of pancreatic cancer, which will be an important procedure for the diagnosis of this malignancy.ª¤

CONCLUSION: A single test of tumor markers is helpful to detect pancreatic cancerclinically, but the determination of 3 or 4 kinds of tumor markers simultaneously would significantly increase the detection rate of pancreatic cancer, which will be an important procedure for the diagnosis of this malignancy.

Keywords: pancreatic neoplasms/diagnosis, tumor markers, biological, antigens, neoplasm/analysis, CA-19-9 antigen/analysis, pancreatopeptidase/analysis, carcinoembryonic antigen/analysis, alpha 1-antitrypsin/analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, radioimmunoassay