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Prospective evaluation of some candidate tumor markers in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

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Abstract

As part of a prospective diagnostic protocol, patients suspected of having pancreatic cancer had systemic and portal venous blood samples assayed, in coded batches, for peptide hormones and enzymes thought to be of potential value as tumor markers. An average of 111 patients were tested for each candidate marker. Results were analyzed by dividing patients into three groups according to the definitive diagnoses. These were pancreatic cancer (32% of patients), other cancers (27%), and benign diseases (41%). Although elevated mean levels of fasting plasma glucose and serum alkaline phosphatase were found in the pancreatic cancer group, there were no significant differences in the mean levels of any of the candidate markers studied in the three groups. The diagnostic values of normal and elevated levels of each candidate marker studied have been calculated. None has proven to be as useful as the serum level of pancreatic oncofetal antigen, fasting plasma glucose, or serum alkaline phosphatase in the diagnosis or exclusion of pancreatic cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Surgery and Medicine, The University of Chicago, The Department of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic and the National Cancer Institute, East 59 Street, Box 129, 950, 60637, Chicago, Illinois

    C. R. Mackie MD,  A. R. Moossa MD (Professor of Surgery), V. L. W. Go MD, G. Noble MD, G. Sizemore MD, M. J. Cooper MD, R. A. B. Wood MD, A. W. Hall MD, T. Waldmann MD, F. Gelder PhD & A. H. Rubenstein MD

Authors
  1. C. R. Mackie MD
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  2. A. R. Moossa MD
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  3. V. L. W. Go MD
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  4. G. Noble MD
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  5. G. Sizemore MD
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  6. M. J. Cooper MD
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  7. R. A. B. Wood MD
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  8. A. W. Hall MD
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  9. T. Waldmann MD
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  10. F. Gelder PhD
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  11. A. H. Rubenstein MD
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Additional information

Supported in part by Contract NCI NO1-CB-43976 and gifts from Mr. Maurice Goldblatt and Mrs. Henrietta Price.

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Mackie, C.R., Moossa, A.R., Go, V.L.W. et al. Prospective evaluation of some candidate tumor markers in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Digest Dis Sci 25, 161–172 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01308134

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01308134

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