IMMUNOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF PANCREATIC-CANCER BY ASSAYING CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN (CEA) IN PURE PANCREATIC-JUICE

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 27  (6) , 488-494
Abstract
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in the pure pancreatic juice collected endoscopically were measured in 102 cases, including 18 with pancreatic cancer using radioimmunoassay. CEA levels in the pancreatic juice were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in patients with pancreatic cancer than in those with pancreatitis or with other diseases and in normal controls. Despite the elevated CEA level in the pancreatic juice from patients with pancreatic cancer without liver metastasis, their serum CEA did not necessarily reveal a high value. CEA in the pancreatic juice from patients with an advanced stage with liver metastasis did not show a high value, although some had high CEA in their sera. The estimation of CEA levels in the pancreatic juice provides important diagnostic information in the detection of pancreatic cancer in the early stage.