title: The monoclonal antibody-defined CAR-3 antigen is a serological marker associated with pancreatic carcinoma.
abstract: The monoclonal antibody-defined CAR-3 antigen is a new carcinoma associated marker which is expressed on a mucin-like molecule. Serum concentrations of CAR-3 were assayed in 181 patients with carcinomas of different organs, 20 patients with non-carcinomatous malignancies, 123 patients with inflammatory diseases and 150 healthy controls. Serum levels of CAR-3 were significantly increased in 51% of the patients with pancreatic carcinomas, in 60% of patients with biliary tract carcinomas and in about 15% of the patients with carcinomas of the digestive apparatus. Sera from patients with breast carcinomas were negative, as well as sera from patients with melanomas or sarcomas. CAR-3 values in samples from patients with chronic pancreatitis were constantly negative, as were samples from healthy donors. Significant concentrations of CAR-3 were detected in 20% of the sera from patients with acute pancreatitis and in 15% of the sera from patients with cirrhosis. Because of its high specificity for pancreatic carcinomas compared to chronic pancreatitis, CAR-3 seems a promising marker for distinguishing between neoplastic and chronic inflammatory diseases of the pancreas, whose differential diagnosis is difficult.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prat
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Medico
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piantino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bretti
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Comoglio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005136:Eye Proteins; D051597:Hippocalcin; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051603:Recoverin
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C496731:RCVRN protein, human; D051603:Recoverin; D051597:Hippocalcin