title: Serum immunoreactive elastase: is it useful for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer?
abstract: We have measured serum immunoreactive pancreatic elastase 1 concentrations in 90 patients with pancreatic cancer in order to determine its usefulness in the diagnosis of this tumor. Abnormal elastase 1 concentrations were found in only 58 (64.4%) of the 90 patients. Fifty (55.5%) had abnormally high values, and eight (8.9%) had abnormally low values. No significant differences in elastase 1 levels were observed between patients with resectable cancer (n = 15) and those with unresectable cancer (n = 75). Moreover, no significant differences were found between elastase 1 concentrations of patients with pancreatic cancer and those of 71 patients with chronic pancreatitis. We conclude that serum elastase 1 measurement does not represent a significant advance in the diagnosis, whether early or late, of pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicine and Gastroenterology, University of Bologna, St. Orsola Hospital, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gullo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pezzilli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ventrucci
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lesi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Ambrosi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alvisi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000097:blood*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000201:enzymology; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase