[Carbohydrate antigen (CA-19-9) in the blood serum of patients with benign and malignant liver diseases].

The concentration of a new tumor marker CA-19-9 was determined in the blood serum of 51 patients with different diseases and in 38 healthy persons. In 95% of the examined persons, the concentration of CA-19-9 in the blood serum did not exceed 15 Units/ml in health. In the patients with benign focal and diffuse liver diseases and in the patients with rectal cancer without metastases to the liver, the level and frequency of the elevated CA-19-9 content in the blood serum did not practically differ from those in health. In primary and metastatic liver cancer, the CA-19-9 content was considerably elevated in all the patients. The combination of the CA-19-9 and CEA tests did not add to the efficacy of differential diagnosis between benign and malignant liver lesions.