Tumour marker antigen CA125 in pancreatic cancer: A comparison with CA19-9 and CEA

Abstract

Summary CA125 is a tumour marker test based on a monoclonal antibody against an antigen from an ovarian carcinoma cell line. Serum concentrations of CA125 were determined in 95 patients with pancreatic cancer and in 106 patients with benign pancreatic, biliary and hepatocellular diseases. The CA125 concentrations were compared with the CA19-9 and CEA levels. Almost half (45%) of the patients with pancreatic cancer had an elevated CA125 level (>35Uml-1). Elevated values were also found in benign diseases (24%), especially in patients with pancreatitis and benign hepatocellular diseases, but more seldom in extrahepatic cholestasis. It seems that CA125 is of limited value in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Expression of CA125 in pancreatic carcinoma and chronic pancreatitis

“…Several other sources of CA125 are likely -50% of patients with poorly differentiated pancreatic tumours have high serum levels of CA125 (Haglund, 1986) whereas our study suggests that such tumours express the antigen at a very low level.…”

“…CA125 was originally identified as a marker of non-mucinous ovarian tumours but elevated serum levels have been found in patients with gastrointestinal malignancy (Klug et al, 1984). Haglund (1986), found raised serum levels of CA125 in 45% of patients with pancreatic cancer and in 24% of patients with benign pancreatic disease but was unable to identify the source of CA125. In our study, the expression of CA125 in tissue sections of pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis has been assessed by an immunohistochemical method.…”

Phase I Study of DMOT4039A, an Antibody–Drug Conjugate Targeting Mesothelin, in Patients with Unresectable Pancreatic or Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

“…Mesothelin binds to the mucin 16 antigen (8), which is also overexpressed in pancreatic and ovarian cancers (9,10). Although many studies have examined the possible function of mesothelin, its role in cancer is still unclear and may be cancer-type specific (11).…”

Enzyme-linked PNA lectin binding assay compared with CA19-9 and CEA radioimmunoassay as a diagnostic blood test for pancreatic cancer

“…The most successful of these has proved to be CA19-9, which recognises the sialylated blood group Lewis antigen, which is expressed on a mucin secreted by the pancreatic tumour into the serum (Magnani et al, 1983). However, most published studies have shown a considerable overlap between CA19-9 serum levels in pancreatic cancer and controls (Haglund et al, 1986;Savarino et al, 1984;Tatsuta et al, 1985;Harmenberg et al, 1988). It contain the high molecular weight abnormal glycoprotein was performed and 100,lp of these diluted samples applied in duplicate to coat micro-ELISA plates for 16h at 4°C.…”

“…These include carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (Gold & Freedman, 1965;Tatsuta et al, 1984), pancreatic oncofetal antigen (POA) (Banwo et al, 1974;Nishida et al, 1985), pancreatic cancer associated antigen (PCAA) (Chu et al, 1977;Loor et al, 1984), (Metzgar et al, 1984;Sawaku et al, 1986), CA19-9 (Koprowski et al, 1979;Haglund et al, 1986b), CA50 (Lindholm et al, 1983;Habib et al, 1986) and CA12-5 (Lehmann et al, 1984;Haglund, 1986). The most successful of these has proved to be CA19-9, which recognises the sialylated blood group Lewis antigen, which is expressed on a mucin secreted by the pancreatic tumour into the serum (Magnani et al, 1983).…”