Biomaterial Database

[Tumor markers--personal experience. The use of tumor markers for cancer of digestive organs]. 1991

M Ishii

Department of Disease of Digestive Organs, Saitama Cancer Center, Japan.

This review is concerned mainly with our experience in the use of tumor markers for cancer of digestive organs from study of tumor markers by the author over the past 20 years. Development of a radioimmunoassay for highly sensitive detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) by Ishii et al. in 1971 enhanced the usefulness of screening for early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurring in the course of liver cirrhosis. PIVKA-II, reported as a highly specific tumor marker for HCC, was thought to be less available for detection of early HCC occurring in the course of liver cirrhosis in comparison with AFP. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a most popular and useful tumor marker for cancer of digestive organs, was frequently positive in sera of colorectal cancer patients who had no subjective complaint or physical sign. This experience supported employment of CEA as a routine screening test for colorectal cancer. A survey of routine examinations of serum CA 19-9 for a period of one month in the clinical laboratory of our hospital proved that 92% of the positive cases of low-level CA 19-9 from 37 U/ml to 75 U/ml were noncancerous. This result indicated that the cut-off value of 37 U/ml employed for serum CA 19-9, which had been evaluated as a specific and highly sensitive tumor marker for pancreatic cancer and bile duct cancer, was too low. Accordingly, it was thought necessary to investigate a change of cut off value and reevaluate CA 19-9 for pancreatic cancer and bile duct cancer in comparison with other tumor markers of carbohydrate antigen such as CA 50, sialyl SSEA-1. From our experience in the use of tumor markers, the combination assays of fetal protein such as AFP, CEA, basic fetoprotein (BFP) and carbohydrate antigen, such as CA 19-9 and CA 50, for routine examination of tumor marker, are recommended for effective screening of cancer of digestive organs.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008113	Liver Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the LIVER.	Cancer of Liver,Hepatic Cancer,Liver Cancer,Cancer of the Liver,Cancer, Hepatocellular,Hepatic Neoplasms,Hepatocellular Cancer,Neoplasms, Hepatic,Neoplasms, Liver,Cancer, Hepatic,Cancer, Liver,Cancers, Hepatic,Cancers, Hepatocellular,Cancers, Liver,Hepatic Cancers,Hepatic Neoplasm,Hepatocellular Cancers,Liver Cancers,Liver Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Hepatic,Neoplasm, Liver
D011498	Protein Precursors		Precursors, Protein
D011516	Prothrombin	A plasma protein that is the inactive precursor of thrombin. It is converted to thrombin by a prothrombin activator complex consisting of factor Xa, factor V, phospholipid, and calcium ions. Deficiency of prothrombin leads to hypoprothrombinemia.	Coagulation Factor II,Factor II,Blood Coagulation Factor II,Differentiation Reversal Factor,Factor II, Coagulation,Factor, Differentiation Reversal,II, Coagulation Factor
D002272	Carcinoembryonic Antigen	A glycoprotein that is secreted into the luminal surface of the epithelia in the gastrointestinal tract. It is found in the feces and pancreaticobiliary secretions and is used to monitor the response to colon cancer treatment.	Antigens, CD66e,CD66e Antigen,Antigen, CD66e,Antigen, Carcinoembryonic,CD66e Antigens
D004067	Digestive System Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.	Cancer of Digestive System,Digestive System Cancer,Cancer of the Digestive System,Neoplasms, Digestive System,Cancer, Digestive System,Cancers, Digestive System,Digestive System Cancers,Digestive System Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Digestive System
D006528	Carcinoma, Hepatocellular	A primary malignant neoplasm of epithelial liver cells. It ranges from a well-differentiated tumor with EPITHELIAL CELLS indistinguishable from normal HEPATOCYTES to a poorly differentiated neoplasm. The cells may be uniform or markedly pleomorphic, or form GIANT CELLS. Several classification schemes have been suggested.	Hepatocellular Carcinoma,Hepatoma,Liver Cancer, Adult,Liver Cell Carcinoma,Liver Cell Carcinoma, Adult,Adult Liver Cancer,Adult Liver Cancers,Cancer, Adult Liver,Cancers, Adult Liver,Carcinoma, Liver Cell,Carcinomas, Hepatocellular,Carcinomas, Liver Cell,Cell Carcinoma, Liver,Cell Carcinomas, Liver,Hepatocellular Carcinomas,Hepatomas,Liver Cancers, Adult,Liver Cell Carcinomas
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000509	alpha-Fetoproteins	The first alpha-globulins to appear in mammalian sera during FETAL DEVELOPMENT and the dominant serum proteins in early embryonic life.	alpha-Fetoprotein,alpha Fetoprotein,alpha Fetoproteins
D014408	Biomarkers, Tumor	Molecular products metabolized and secreted by neoplastic tissue and characterized biochemically in cells or BODY FLUIDS. They are indicators of tumor stage and grade as well as useful for monitoring responses to treatment and predicting recurrence. Many chemical groups are represented including HORMONES; ANTIGENS; amino and NUCLEIC ACIDS; ENZYMES; POLYAMINES; and specific CELL MEMBRANE PROTEINS and LIPIDS.	Biochemical Tumor Marker,Cancer Biomarker,Carcinogen Markers,Markers, Tumor,Metabolite Markers, Neoplasm,Tumor Biomarker,Tumor Marker,Tumor Markers, Biochemical,Tumor Markers, Biological,Biochemical Tumor Markers,Biological Tumor Marker,Biological Tumor Markers,Biomarkers, Cancer,Marker, Biochemical Tumor,Marker, Biologic Tumor,Marker, Biological Tumor,Marker, Neoplasm Metabolite,Marker, Tumor Metabolite,Markers, Biochemical Tumor,Markers, Biological Tumor,Markers, Neoplasm Metabolite,Markers, Tumor Metabolite,Metabolite Markers, Tumor,Neoplasm Metabolite Markers,Tumor Markers, Biologic,Tumor Metabolite Marker,Biologic Tumor Marker,Biologic Tumor Markers,Biomarker, Cancer,Biomarker, Tumor,Cancer Biomarkers,Marker, Tumor,Markers, Biologic Tumor,Markers, Carcinogen,Metabolite Marker, Neoplasm,Metabolite Marker, Tumor,Neoplasm Metabolite Marker,Tumor Biomarkers,Tumor Marker, Biochemical,Tumor Marker, Biologic,Tumor Marker, Biological,Tumor Markers,Tumor Metabolite Markers
D015295	Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate	Carbohydrate antigens expressed by malignant tissue. They are useful as tumor markers and are measured in the serum by means of a radioimmunoassay employing monoclonal antibodies.	Antigens, Carbohydrate, Tumor-Associated,CA Antigens,Cancer-Associated Carbohydrate Antigens,Carbohydrate Antigens, Tumor-Associated,Tumor-Associated Carbohydrate Antigens,Antigen, Carcinoma-Associated,CA Antigen,CA(Oxford) Antigen,Carcinoma-Associated Antigen,Epitectin,Antigen, CA,Antigen, Carcinoma Associated,Antigens, CA,Antigens, Cancer-Associated Carbohydrate,Antigens, Tumor-Associated Carbohydrate,Cancer Associated Carbohydrate Antigens,Carbohydrate Antigens, Cancer-Associated,Carbohydrate Antigens, Tumor Associated,Carcinoma Associated Antigen,Tumor Associated Carbohydrate Antigens