DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF SERUM PANCREATIC TISSUE CARCINOMA ANTIGEN IN PANCREATIC CARCINOMA

Serum pancreatic tissue carcinoma antigen (PCA) was measured by ELISA in 396 patients with pancreatic carcinoma (PC) and other diseases diagnosed by clinical examination, histopathology and operation. Serum PCA more than 300 U/ml was considered as diagnostic value for PC and 30-299 U/ml as probable index for PC. The sensitivity of PCA for PC was 78.2% (43/55), and the specifity 94.6%. The positive rate of PCA in other diseases were 0-13.3%. Combining the determination of PCA with B-mode ultrasonic scanning (BU). CT and/or ERCP (endos-copic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) may increase the diagnostic rate of PC to 89-91%, and with the "cocktail" of CA19-9, CEA (carcino-embryonic antigen) and RNase-C, PC be diagnosed in 88.9%. Therefore, it is suggest that PCA si a promising tumor market of PC with high sensitivity and relative specificity.