[Diagnostic value of CA 19-9 and CEA in gastrointestinal pathology]

The diagnostic values of CA 19-9 and CEA were evaluated in 187 cases (including 31 gastric, 41 colorectal, 12 pancreatic, 7 hepatobiliar and 5 hepatocellular carcinomas). These tumor markers were compared to the other laboratory parameters [hemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum bilirubin, ASAT (aspartate amino transferase), ALAT (alanine amino transferase) GGT (gamma glutamil transpeptidase), ALP (alkaline phosphatase)]. The specificity of CA 19-9 was 89.5%, while the sensitivity of this tumor markers was 91.7% in pancreatic carcinoma, 54.8% in gastric carcinoma and 43.9% in colorectal carcinoma. The sensitivity of CEA only in colorectal patients was higher than that of CA 19-9 (specificity 73.9%, sensitivity 64.5%). Although the CA 19-9 and CEA are not known to give any cross-reaction with each other, simultaneous measurement and evaluation of these two tumor antigens did not result in a better diagnostic sensitivity. After undergoing a gastrointestinal carcinoma operation, CA 19-9 indicated the appearance of tumor recidiva with a 62% sensitivity. Calculated together with CEA the sensitivity elevated to 88.9%. In most of the patient with benign cholostasis, the CA 19-9 and CEA values were out of the normal range (53.3% and 36.4% respectively), so these tumor markers are not suitable to differentiate between benign and malign cholostasis. According to the authors, CA 19-9 is the most useful diagnostic tool to differentiate between pancreatic carcinoma and pancreatitis chronica (both group without cholostasis), as well as for monitoring the patients after surgery of a gastrointestinal cancer.