Evaluation of plasma hCG measurement in the diagnosis of nontrophoblastic neoplasms and assessment of the value of concomitant measurement of plasma hCG and CEA in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and neoplasms of the digestive tract were undertaken. Only one of 70 normal control subjects had positive plasma hCG (3.5 ng/ml), whereas 54 of 320 patients with nontrophoblastic neoplasms had measurable plasma hCG (1.9 to 160 ng/ml). Forty of these patients had less than 5.1 ng/ml, 10 had 5.1 to 10 ng/ml, and only three had high levels of 96,110, and 160 ng/ml. Elevated plasma CEA levels of 3.6 to 140 ng/ml were found in 38 of the 70 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and 30 of the 72 patients with neoplasms of the digestive tract in this series. Concomitant positive hCG was found in only six of the 68 patients who had elevated CEA levels, and positive hCG was found in eight of 74 patients who had normal plasma CEA. The low frequency and the modest elevation of plasma hCG, despite frequent advanced disease, indicate plasma hCG has limited value as a biologic marker fQr diagnosis and assessment of nontrophoblastic neoplasms.

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Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a premalignant condition associated with the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Despite the low risk of progression to EAC, evidence highlights the notably poor survival rates of this malignancy. The mainstay form of diagnosis of BE is endoscopy and biopsy sampling. However, research emphasizes limitations with regards to the histological detection of BE and associated dysplasia. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical significance of CEACAM6 as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of BE and beyond. Retrospective tissue samples were obtained from columnar lined esophagus without goblet cells (n = 27), BE (n = 18), BE associated dysplasia (n = 16), and EAC (n = 24). Standardized immunohistochemistry for CEACAM6 was performed followed by quantitative staining analysis. Statistical analysis across the BE spectrum for CEACAM6 was undertaken and a P value <0.05 was considered significant. CEACAM6 expression increased from columnar lined epithelium (CLE) to BE with a subsequent decrease to dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. The expression of CEACAM6 was significant from CLE to BE at p 0.001, CLE to dysplasia at p 0.001, BE to dysplasia at p 0.006, CLE to adenocarcinoma at p 0.001 and BE to adenocarcinoma at p 0.001. There was no significant difference in expression between dysplasia and adenocarcinoma (P = 0.15). Our findings highlight the increasing expression of CEACAM6 from CLE to BE with a subsequent decrease to dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. In view of this, we advocate the utilization of this marker for the enhanced diagnosis of BE and for the distinction of BE and dysplasia.

The results of determination of the serum 5'-NPDase isozymes in 95 cases of primary liver carcinoma and other kinds of disease are presented. The 5'-NPDase-V was positive in 83.2% of primary liver cancer cases. This test might be a useful supplement to AFP determination, especially in AFP-negative liver cancer patients. In most patients who had undergone successful liver resection for primary carcinoma, the test became negative. A positive 5'NPDase-V test in patients with cancer elsewhere in the body may suggest liver metastasis. In addition, this test may be of some help in the differentiation of primary liver cancer from other kinds of liver disease. The problem of "false-positive" results of this test is discussed.