title: A clinical evaluation of monoclonal (CA19-9, CA50, CA12-5) and polyclonal (CEA, TPA) antibody-defined antigens for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
abstract: We measured in 193 patients, admitted to our wards for symptoms and signs suggestive of pancreatic or digestive malignancy, the serum levels of five tumor-associated antigens (CA 19-9, CA 50, CA 125, TPA, CEA) and we evaluated their diagnostic accuracy both when used alone and in combination. For CA 19-9 and CA 50 a sensitivity for pancreatic cancer as high as 92 and 88%, respectively, and specificity of 91.8% were found. A lower sensitivity vs. pancreatic cancer was found for the other tumor markers, and vs. the other digestive and nondigestive malignancies for all tumor markers (apart for CA 19-9 and CA 50 vs. biliary carcinomas). As for the combined assays, the best figures were found vs. pancreatic cancer for CA 19-9 plus CA 50, CA 50 plus CEA, CA 50 plus CA 125; a sensitivity by far worse vs. the other gastrointestinal cancers was found for all the possible combinations. We conclude that in selected symptomatic patients some tumor-marker determinations can be useful in identifying those with a high probability of harboring a pancreatic cancer, to be further studied or operated upon. The clinical relevance of this in patients already symptomatic is at present unclear.
authors.affiliation: Medical Clinic, University of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavallini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zordan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rizzotti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rigo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brocco
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perobelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanchetta
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pederzoli
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Scuro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013925:Thromboplastin
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D013925:Thromboplastin