Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with increased serum CYFRA 21-1 level.
CYFRA 21-1 is a fragment of cytokeratin 19 (CK 19). Four patients with large intrahepatic (or peripheral) cholangiocarcinoma (CC) and high serum levels of CYFRA 21-1 (normal, < or = 2 ng/ml) are reported. CYFRA 21-1 levels exceeded 9 ng/ml in all 4 patients. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), was high in 1 (CEA; normal range, < or = 5.0 ng/ml) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) was high in 3 (CA19-9; normal range, < or = 36 U/ml). We also measured serum levels of CYFRA 21-1 in 13 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) more than 5 cm in diameter. Levels of CYFRA 21-1 exceeded 2 ng/ml in 9 of the HCC patients and were higher than 9 ng/ml in 2 of the HCC patients. Levels of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and/or protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II (PIVKA II) were elevated in all HCC patients (AFP, PIVKA II, respectively; normal range, < or = 10.0 ng/ml and < or = 0.1 AU/ml) CYFRA 21-1 levels were measured twice or three times during the clinical course in 2 CC patients and in 6 HCC patients, and increased gradually with tumor growth in the 2 CC patients and in 3 of the 6 HCC patients. Marked increases in serum CYFRA 21-1 levels in patients with large liver cancers, particularly in those with normal levels of AFP and PIVKA II, would suggest the existence of intrahepatic CC rather than HCC.
Kashihara
T
T
Department of Internal Medicine, Itami City Hospital, Japan.
Ohki
A
A
Kobayashi
T
T
Sato
T
T
Nishizawa
H
H
Ogawa
K
K
Tako
H
H
Kawakami
F
F
Tsuji
M
M
Tamaoka
K
K
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053539:Keratin-19; D007633:Keratins; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000378:metabolism; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053539:Keratin-19; D011498:Protein Precursors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; C102012:antigen CYFRA21.1; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D007633:Keratins; D011516:Prothrombin