title: Coagulation disorders and tumor markers in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
abstract: Twenty patients (42-80 years old of whom 9 women) affected by instrumentally ascertained pancreatic cancer (7 cases were operated on) were studied. In all of them the following coagulation indices (fibrinopeptide A, FpA; beta-thromboglobulin, BTG; platelet factor IV, PF4; fibrinogen degradation products, XDP) and tumor markers (gastrointestinal cancer associated antigen, GICA; tissue polypeptide antigen, TPA; carcinoembryonic antigen, CEA; alpha-fetoprotein, or AFP) were assessed at the time of diagnosis, and 10 and 30 days after diagnosis, to test whether and which of the above parameters are more sensitive for entertaining the underlying affection. In both operated and nonoperated patients FpA was shown to be the most sensitive index. Lesser sensitivity was shown by XDP, GICA, and BTG. AFP proved to be quite useless as its serum levels constantly fell within the normal range.
authors.affiliation: Instituto di Patologia medica, Università di Ferrara, Italia.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Abbasciano
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Graziano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mazzotta
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pollinzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gilli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zavagli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D005344:Fibrinopeptide A / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D010978:Platelet Factor 4 / Q000032:analysis; D019396:Tissue Polypeptide Antigen; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D010455:Peptides; D019396:Tissue Polypeptide Antigen; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin; C031192:oncofetal antigens; D005344:Fibrinopeptide A; D010978:Platelet Factor 4