Two Cases of Mesenteric Cyst Measured Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Cystic Fluids

It has been generally pointed out that the levels of tumor markers in hepatic or pancreatic cystic fluids are elevated in patients with malignancies. However, there are yet no reports of the contents of mesenteric cysts. We encountered two cases of benign mesenteric cysts and measured tumor markers in cystic fluids after surgical excision. The patients were a 68-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman. The sites of development were the mesentery at the terminal end of the ileum in the first case and the jejunal mesentery, 110cm from Treitz's ligament, in the second case. Cytodiagnosis of cystic fluids after surgical removal was class I in both cases, the CEA levels were 1.7ng/ml and 150ng/ml, respectively, and levels of other tumor markers (CA19-9, CAl25, CA15-3 and SCC) were normal. The preoperative serum levels of the tumor markers were invariably within normal limits. Together with two cases reported previously in Japan, we investigated tumor markers in the contents of the mesenteric cysts. The CEA level in the cystic fluids is elevated in some patients with benign mesenteric cyst.