Clinical application of four plasma tumor markers and 13C-urea breath test in diagnosis of patients with gastric carcinoma

Abstract

Objective To investigate clinical value of plasma gastrin, leptin,carbohydrate antigen 125( CA 125 ), carbohydrate antigen 72-4 ( CA72-4 ) and 13C-urea breath test(13C-UBT) in diagnosis of patients with gastric carcinoma. Methods Radioimmunoassay and enzyme immunosorbent assay were used to determine the plasma gastrin, leptin, CA125 and CA72-4 levels, and helicobacter pylori ( HP ) infection rate was determined by 13C-UBT. Compared all the determined results from 126 patients with gastric carcinoma ( including 32 cases Ⅰ - Ⅱ stage gastric carcinoma, 57 cases Ⅲ stage gastric carcinoma and 37 cases Ⅳ stage gastric carcinoma ) and 60 normal controls. Results The plasma gastrin, CA125 and CA72-4 levels in 126 patients with gastric carcinoma were significantly higher (t=3.125, t=3.519, t=3.788, P＜0.01 ) but plasma level was significantly lower (t=3.524, P＜0.01 ) than those in 60 normal controls. Compared with normel controls, the result of CA72-4 was signeficantly changed. The plasma gastrin, CA125 and CA72-4 levels in 126 patients with gastric carcinoma were increased with the severity of gastric carcinoma, but plasma leptin was decreased.The HP infection rate in 126 patients with gastric carcinoma (84.9%) were significantly higher than those in 60 normal controls(15%). The HP infection rate in 32 Ⅰ - Ⅱ,57 Ⅲ and 37 Ⅳ stage gastric carcinoma were 46.9%,89.5% and 89.2% respectively and were increased with severity of gastric carcinoma. Conclusion The determination of plasma CA72-4 was the best item for diagnosis of gastric carcinoma in four tumor markers, leptin,CA 125 and gastrin followed. The determination of HP infection rate in gastric carcinoma by 13C-UBT played a considerable role for diagnosis and therapy. Key words: Stomach neoplasms; Gastrin; Leptin; CA125 antigen; Antigen, tumor-associated, carbohydrate; Helicobacter, pylori; Radioimmunoassay