The role of different tumor markers in the early diagnosis and prognosis of pancreatic carcinoma and chronic pancreatitis.

The examination of tumor markers in the diagnosis and in the evaluation of progression of tumors has got an increasing significance. The serum level changements of three tumor markers (CEA, CA 19-9, CA 125) were examined before and after the operation in 94 patients operated for pancreatic carcinoma (PC) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) between March 1994 and December 1996 at the 2nd Dept. of Surgery of Debrecen Medical University. From the patients 62 were operated for carcinoma, in 19 cases the tumor was resectable, 43 patients had palliative operation. In 32 patients ductal decompression was performed because of CP. The authors evaluate the serum level changements of the three tumor markers examined in three groups of patients before and after the operation. In conclusion CA 19-9 is the most sensitive marker of PC, the sensitivity was 77.4%, the specificity was 87.5%. CEA and CA 125 are not as sensitive markers of PC as CA 19-9, while CEA and CA 125 serum levels are both increased in half of the patients with chronic pancreatitis.