[Determination of serum DU-PAN-2 by enzyme immunoassay in patients with various digestive cancers]

In order to evaluate the usefulness of serum DU-PAN-2, we determined this antigen in 384 patients with various malignancies and in 215 patients with benign diseases using a sandwich enzyme immunoassay system (Kyowa Medex Co.). Elevated DU-PAN-2 levels (greater than 400 U/ml) were observed in 55% of hepatocellular cancers, 50% of pancreatic cancers, and 43% of biliary tract cancers. On the other hand, most false-positive cases with benign diseases were observed in patients with liver injury, especially in the acute phase of acute hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, and liver cirrhosis. However, in only a few cases with other benign diseases including pancreatitis, increased levels were found. Moreover, among the pancreatic cancer or biliary tract cancer patients studied, DU-PAN-2 was positive in 7 of the 19 CA 19-9-negative (less than 37 U/ml) patients and 32 of the 68 CEA-negative (less than 5 ng/ml) patients. These results indicate that the assay of DU-PAN-2 by EIA may have diagnostic usefulness in digestive cancer, especially pancreatic cancer or biliary tract cancer.