title: CEA, CA 19-9, and CA 125 in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant pancreatic diseases with or without jaundice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, the value of the serum tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA 19-9, and CA 125 was assessed in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant pancreatic diseases with and without obstructive jaundice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum levels of CEA, CA 19-9, and CA 125 were measured by immunoradiometric assay before the treatment in 123 patients with pancreatic carcinoma and 58 patients with a benign pancreatic disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensitivity of CEA, CA 19-9, and CA 125 in the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma was 39.0%, 81.3%, and 56.9%; and specificity was 91.4%, 75.9%, and 77.6%, respectively. Although there was no significant difference between the CA 19-9 positivity ratios of the jaundiced (84.3%) and nonjaundiced (73.5%) patient subgroups of the pancreatic carcinoma, this ratio was significantly higher in the jaundiced subgroup (64.7%) than the nonjaundiced subgroup (7.3%) of the benign pancreatic diseases (P < 0.001). The CEA and CA 125 positivity ratios of jaundiced and nonjaundiced subgroups of patients with benign and malignant pancreatic diseases were not significantly different.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the differential diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma from benign pancreatic diseases, CA 19-9 can be useful in the nonjaundiced patients, whereas CA 125 provides a limited contribution in jaundiced patients.
authors.affiliation: Fifth Department of Surgery, SSK Okmeydani Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. nduraker@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Nüvit
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Duraker
authors.forename: Semih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hot
authors.forename: Yücel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Polat
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Höbek
authors.forename: Nur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gençler
authors.forename: Nuray
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Urhan
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D041781:Jaundice, Obstructive / Q000150:complications*; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen