Clinical value of CA19-9 and CEA level in predicting the outcome of advanced pancreatic cancer patients with different C-reaction protein level

Abstract

Objective To explore the clinical value of serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level in predicting the outcome of advanced pancreatic cancer patients with different serum C-reaction protein(CRP) levels. Methods The clinical data of 94 advanced pancreatic cancer patients from October 2009 to January 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The levels of CRP, tumor marker CA19-9, CEA, CA125, CA242 and CA724 were recorded and the patients were divided into high level group and low level group based on the upper limit of the parameters. The survival was compared between high level group and low level group. Results There were no differences on the age, gender, tumor staging, TNM stages and chemotherapy between patients with normal and high serum CRP level. The overall survival of patients with normal and high serum CRP level was 14(7.25-19.75) and 4(3.00-8.00)months, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001), indicating that patients with normal CRP had longer survival. Increased CA19-9 and CEA were risk factors for the prognosis of advanced pancreatic cancer patients. Patients with high serum CRP level had obviously higher serum CA19-9 and CEA levels than those of patients with normal CRP level. Patients with normal serum CRP, CA19-9 and CEA level had longer overall survival and the differences were statistically significant. There were no differences on overall survival between patients with high serum CRP level but normal serum CA19-9 and CEA levels and patients with high serum CRP, CA19-9 and CEA levels. Conclusions Serum CA19-9 and CEA had a relatively high clinical value for predicting the outcome of pancreatic cancer patients with normal CRP, but its value was relatively low for patients with high serum CRP level. Key words: Pancreatic neoplasms; Tumor markers, biological; C-reactive protein; Prognosis