Plasma concentrations of CA-50 in relation to tumour burden in exocrine pancreatic cancer

The tumour-associated antigen CA-50 was analysed in plasma from 90 patients with cytologically verified exocrine carcinoma of the pancreas, and related to the size of the primary carcinoma, the largest metastasis of the liver and the degree of tumour-transformed liver parenchyme at 143 examinations. The median concentration of CA-50 in the patients with metastases of the liver was significantly higher than in the group lacking metastases. Spearman rank correlation test at three different levels of CA-50 (all values, exceeding 100 U/ml and exceeding 200 U/ml), showed a correlation between CA-50 and diameter of the primary pancreatic carcinoma in patients with liver metastases, but not in the group lacking liver metastases. No correlations were seen between CA-50 levels and size of liver metastasis or degree of tumour-transformed liver parenchyme. Hence, high plasma concentrations of CA-50 in patients with diagnosed or suspected exocrine pancreatic carcinoma could strongly indicate metastatic processes.