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Comparison of Portal and Peripheral Blood Levels of Carcinoembryonic Antigen, CA 19-9, and CA 125 Tumor-associated Antigens in Patients with Colorectal and Pancreatic Cancer

Microbiology Research Laboratory [R. E. R.], Department of Surgery [R. W. T., D. M. N., J. H. P.], and Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology [H. S. W.], Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905

Synchronous serum specimens from the systemic and portal circulations of 43 patients with gastrointestinal cancer were assayed for levels of carcinoembryonic antigen, CA 19-9, and CA 125 tumor-associated antigens. The number of patients having a mean ratio of portal to systemic levels >1 and the observed quantity of tumor-associated antigens were significant for carcinoembryonic antigen and CA 125 only in patients with colorectal cancer. No correlations were noted with the surgical stage of disease or with high or low (normal) levels of the three tumor-associated antigens. These findings suggest that peripheral concentrations of these antigens are in equilibrium with shedding from tumors and that hepatic clearance of a single pass does not significantly alter peripheral concentrations.

¹ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 6/24/88. Revised 9/19/88. Revised 10/28/88. Accepted 11/ 2/88.