title: Appearance of the tumor marker CA 19-9 in liver transplant patients during rejection episodes.
abstract: The tumor marker CA 19-9 was shown to be elevated in liver transplant patients, particularly during rejection. Serial serum samples taken from 24 patients after liver transplantation were examined for tumor markers CA 19-9, SLEX, CEA, and TNF-alpha. During rejection, 85% of the patients had elevated levels of CA 19-9. Patients with early rejection had persistently higher levels than patients without rejection. The serum levels were low in nonrejecting patients compared with those with rejection. Thus, the CA 19-9 marker cannot be considered a specific tumor marker. It may, however, be an indicator of an immune response or it may be a byproduct of an inflammatory reaction to a tumor or a transplant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, UCLA School of Medicine 90024.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sameshima
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chia
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Terasaki
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Imagawa
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Busuttil
mesh_terms: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000032:analysis*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate