Concentrations of serum proteins and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in patients with different histological types of gastric carcinoma.

ESR and serum concentrations of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C4, C1-INH and CEA were quantified preoperatively in 195 patients with gastric carcinoma. The values were grouped according to the extent of disease (T1-3N0M0, T2-3N + M0, T4AnyNM0, AnyTAnyNM1) and according to the histological type of tumor (intestinal-type, diffuse and unclassifiable). The data were analysed using a two-way analysis of variance with unequal cell sizes. ESR, C4, C1-INH, IgG and CEA varied with the extent of disease. When the data were adjusted for this variation, we found that the values of ESR, C4 and CEA were different between the various histological types. The values were highest in patients with the intestinal-type tumor and lowest in those with diffuse tumor. The concentrations of IgG and C1-INH were not different between the histological types. Our results are relevant when ESR, C4 and CEA are used in the evaluation of patients with gastric carcinoma.