title: CA19-9: a pedictor of response in pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine and cisplatin.
abstract: The question was asked whether kinetics of CA19-9 would serve as a predictor of chemotherapeutic outcome in advanced pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine and cisplatin. Twenty one patients, 5 females and 16 males (median age 56 yrs, range 36-71 yrs) suffering from adenocarcinoma of the exocrine pancreas were analysed. Chemotherapy was applied for a median of 6 courses (range 2-21). Four patients achieved a complete remission, four a partial remission (OR = 38%), while stable disease was documented in 8 and progressive disease in 5 patients. Among 4 CR patients, all demonstrated a significant decline of CA 19-9 levels during the initial three treatment courses with apparent half-lifes of 15, 18, 24, and 33 days. At a cut-off level of 37 U/mL, all CR patients reached normal values in the course of treatment. All patients achieving PR showed a decrease of CA 19-9 values at apparent half-lifes of 9, 16, 88 and 89 days. Among patients with stable disease, CA19-9 transiently decreased in 7/8 patients and remained stable in 1 patient. However, values increased later in all patients after a median of 3 treatment courses (range 2-9). In patients with disease progression, CA 19-9 initially increased in 4/5 patients, while a further patient did so only beyound 100 days of treatment. In conclusion, kinetics of CA19-9 serum concentration may serve as an early indicator of response to gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy in advanced pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Klinikum Grosshadern, University of Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Heinemann
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Schermuly
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stieber
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jüngst
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wilkowski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schalhorn
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013997:Time Factors; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D002945:Cisplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine