title: Clinical experience with the tumor marker Ca 19-9 in an unselected group of more than 300 tumor patients.
abstract: Since March, 1983, in vitro tests for the quantitative determination of the tumor-associated antigen Ca 19-9 (carbohydrate antigen 19-9) were performed in more than 300 patients with confirmed tumors. These tests had as a goal determination of the diagnostic value of this new potential tumor marker Ca 19-9 with regard to specificity and sensitivity of malignant growths in the gastrointestinal tract, breast, and lung. The applicability of Ca 19-9 RIA in posttherapeutic case control for early registration of recurrences and metastases was examined. First analyses of our patient collective confirmed the assumption that increased serum concentrations of Ca 19-9 are detectable in gastrointestinal tumors as well as in mammary and bronchial carcinoma. Thus Ca 19-9 is a nonspecific tumor-associated antigen that by itself does not allow an organ correlation of malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract, breast, and lung.
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen