title: CAR-3 and CA 19-9 serum levels in pancreatic cancer: any differences between two epitopes of the same mucin-like glycoprotein?
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the utility of two recently identified tumour markers of pancreatic cancer, CA 19-9 and CAR-3, and to ascertain the roles of some factors influencing both antigens. CA 19-9 and CAR-3 were measured in sera of 18 control subjects, 27 patients with pancreatic cancer, 25 with chronic pancreatitis, and 29 with extra-pancreatic diseases. CA 19-9 and CAR-3 were, respectively, found to be increased in 85 per cent and 44 per cent of patients with pancreatic cancer, 28 per cent and 0 per cent with chronic pancreatitis and 72 per cent and 28 per cent with extra-pancreatic diseases. The ROC curves showed that, for any serum value considered, CA 19-9 is more effective than CAR-3 in discriminating between pancreatic cancer and control subjects and chronic pancreatitis. With the combined use of both antigens the results were no better than those given by CA 19-9 alone. Correlations were found between liver function tests and CA 19-9 levels and between cholestasis indices only and CAR-3 values. Our findings show that CAR-3 is not a sufficiently reliable marker of pancreatic cancer, due to its low sensitivity. Nor does it offer any more information than CA 19-9. Both assays are influenced, at least in part, by the extent of the neoplasia. Cholestasis which can greatly influence a serum glycoproteic marker such as CA 19-9, was found also to affect, to a lesser extent, CAR-3, an epitope on the same mucin molecule.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Interna, Universita' degli Studi di Padova, Italia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meggiato
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Basso
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fabris
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fogar
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Panozzo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plebani
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Faggian
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scalon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Del Favero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000097:blood; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009077:Mucins / Q000276:immunology*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000939:Epitopes; D009077:Mucins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C068379:CAR-3 antigen; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm