title: False-positive findings for tumor markers after curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the frequency and characteristics of false-positive results for tumor markers after curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Carcinoembryonic antigen and/or carbohydrate antigen 19-9 were periodically assessed for 168 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy. Cancer recurrence was observed for 17 (10.1%) patients and 151 (89.9%) were disease-free during the mean follow-up period of 23.1 months after the operation. The frequency of false-positive findings for tumor markers after gastrectomy was 14.3% (24/168) for all followed-up patients. Three different patterns of marker elevation were observed in the false-positive group. A false-positive finding for these markers was observed for patients with early-stage cancer and for those with chronic benign diseases, for example bronchitis, liver dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, and renal dysfunction. For most patients with false-positive findings for a marker a spontaneous decrease in the tumor marker was observed 1-2 months after the marker was first observed at a high level after the operation. Surgeons and oncologists should therefore keep in mind the high frequency of false-positive findings for tumor markers after curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Saga University Faculty of Medicine, Saga, Japan. ootsuka4@cc.saga-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohtsuka
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitajima
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakafusa
authors.forename: Kohji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor