Biomaterial Database

[Comparison between the gastrointestinal tumor antigen and the carcinoembryonic antigen in diseases of the digestive tract]. 1985

G Tappero, and P Piantino, and A Cerchier, and F Pecchio

Recently a glycolipid antigen known as gastrointestinal cancer antigen (GICA) has been proposed as a new seral marker of gastrointestinal and pancreatic tumours. This antigen is specifically recognised by a monoclonal antibody and biologically and immunologically distinguished by carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Out of 438 subjects including: 60 blood donors, 205 patients suffering from digestive tract tumours, subdivided into different organs 21 gastric ca's, 60 colon ca's, 100 pancreatic ca's and 24 liver cancers) 173 subjects with inflammatory gastrointestinal complaints, also divided by organ 18 gastric ulcers, 45 inflamed colons, 60 chronic pancreatitis and 50 liver cirrhosis). GICA and CEA radioimmunoassays were carried out (Sorin GICAK and CEAK) to evaluate sensitivity, specificity and predictive accuracy. Normal threshold levels were set at 30 ng/ml for CEA and 40 mu/ml for GICA. These levels represent the mean + 2DS of levels measured in 260 patients hospitalised for various benign and functional complaints and differ from cancer patient results by the largest amount. All blood donors, whether smokers or not, give lower values than these. Results show GICA gives a lower overall number of false positives than CEA (20% as against 9.6%). GICA diagnostic results were more accurate overall for the entire case sample examined. GICA gave higher percentage positives than CEA for individual tumour types: pancreatic ca (82% v 52%), liver cancer (70.8% v 20.8%) and gastric ca (47.6% v 33%). CEA appears to work better than GICA in the case of colorectal ca's (56% v 41%). Both markers were found to be more sensitive in the presence of tumours with metastases. GICA is the best currently available marker of pancreatic tumours thanks to its sensitivity, specificity and predictive accuracy. Although GICA gave good results in cases of liver cancer, these did not exceed those obtained with alpha foetoprotein. In the other cases of digestive tumours examined, a combination of GICA and CEA investigation techniques appears to be the best non-invasive method currently available for patient follow-up.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008103	Liver Cirrhosis	Liver disease in which the normal microcirculation, the gross vascular anatomy, and the hepatic architecture have been variably destroyed and altered with fibrous septa surrounding regenerated or regenerating parenchymal nodules.	Cirrhosis, Liver,Fibrosis, Liver,Hepatic Cirrhosis,Liver Fibrosis,Cirrhosis, Hepatic
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
D010195	Pancreatitis	INFLAMMATION of the PANCREAS. Pancreatitis is classified as acute unless there are computed tomographic or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographic findings of CHRONIC PANCREATITIS (International Symposium on Acute Pancreatitis, Atlanta, 1992). The two most common forms of acute pancreatitis are ALCOHOLIC PANCREATITIS and gallstone pancreatitis.	Acute Edematous Pancreatitis,Acute Pancreatitis,Pancreatic Parenchyma with Edema,Pancreatic Parenchymal Edema,Pancreatitis, Acute,Pancreatitis, Acute Edematous,Peripancreatic Fat Necrosis,Acute Edematous Pancreatitides,Acute Pancreatitides,Edema, Pancreatic Parenchymal,Edematous Pancreatitides, Acute,Edematous Pancreatitis, Acute,Fat Necrosis, Peripancreatic,Necrosis, Peripancreatic Fat,Pancreatic Parenchymal Edemas,Pancreatitides, Acute,Pancreatitides, Acute Edematous,Parenchymal Edema, Pancreatic,Peripancreatic Fat Necroses
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
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
D003092	Colitis	Inflammation of the COLON section of the large intestine (INTESTINE, LARGE), usually with symptoms such as DIARRHEA (often with blood and mucus), ABDOMINAL PAIN, and FEVER.	Colitides
D003110	Colonic Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the COLON.	Cancer of Colon,Colon Adenocarcinoma,Colon Cancer,Cancer of the Colon,Colon Neoplasms,Colonic Cancer,Neoplasms, Colonic,Adenocarcinoma, Colon,Adenocarcinomas, Colon,Cancer, Colon,Cancer, Colonic,Cancers, Colon,Cancers, Colonic,Colon Adenocarcinomas,Colon Cancers,Colon Neoplasm,Colonic Cancers,Colonic Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Colon,Neoplasm, Colonic,Neoplasms, Colon
D005767	Gastrointestinal Diseases	Diseases in any segment of the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT from ESOPHAGUS to RECTUM.	Cholera Infantum,Gastrointestinal Disorders,Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders,Gastrointestinal Disorders, Functional,Disease, Gastrointestinal,Diseases, Gastrointestinal,Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder,Gastrointestinal Disease,Gastrointestinal Disorder,Gastrointestinal Disorder, Functional
D005770	Gastrointestinal Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT, from the MOUTH to the ANAL CANAL.	Gastrointestinal Cancer,Cancer of Gastrointestinal Tract,Cancer of the Gastrointestinal Tract,Neoplasms, Gastrointestinal,Cancer, Gastrointestinal,Cancers, Gastrointestinal,Gastrointestinal Cancers,Gastrointestinal Neoplasm,Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer,Gastrointestinal Tract Cancers,Neoplasm, Gastrointestinal
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man