Serum CA 19-9, SLX, STN and CEA levels of the peripheral and the draining venous blood in gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to elucidate the relationship between the seropositive rates of Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), Sialyl Le(a) (CA 19-9), Sialyl Le(x) (SLX) and Sialyl Tn (STN) and the clinicopathological variables. The correlation of serum levels of these antigens between the peripheral venous blood and the venous blood draining from the tumor was also evaluated.


METHODS
The subjects were 113 patients with gastric cancer, who underwent gastrectomy at the First Department of Surgery, Yokohama City University, between 1991 and 1996. Serum levels of CA 19-9, SLX, STN and CEA in the peripheral blood and the draining venous blood were measured.


RESULTS
The positive rates for CA 19-9, SLX, STN and CEA were closely correlated with tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and depth of invasion. Although the seropositive rates for CA 19-9, SLX, STN, and CEA in the draining venous blood were lower than those in the peripheral blood, a close correlation for serum levels of 4 antigens between the peripheral venous blood and the draining venous blood was observed in advanced cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that these antigens may be drained by the lymphatic route as well as the hematogenous route. Further studies must be performed to elucidate the mechanism of these antigens entering into the peripheral blood by devising a technique for collecting the lymph.
Imada
T
T
First Department of Surgery, Yokohama City University, Japan.
Rino
Y
Y
Takahashi
M
M
Hatori
S
S
Shiozawa
M
M
Amano
T
T
Kondo
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; C055491:sialosyl-Tn antigen