Diagnostic value of serum carcinoembryonic antigenelated cell adhesion molecule 6 for cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of serum carcinoembryonic antigenelated cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6) for cholangiocarcinoma. Methods Seventy patients with cholangiocarcinoma and 15 with cholangitis were examined for serum levels of CEACAM6 by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cut-off values and area under curve (AUC) of CEACAM6 were obtained by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The diagnostic efficiency of the tumor markers for cholangiocarcinoma was assessed by the fourfold table. Results ELISA showed that the serum level and positive rate of CEACAM6 in cholangiocarcinoma patients [(0.189±0.134) ng/ml and 84%] were higher than those in cholangitis patients [(0.109±0.023) ng/ml and 37%; t=3.238, P=0.016]. Based on the ROC curve, the cut-off values of CEACAM6 were 0.185 1 ng/ml, and CEACAM6, carcinomic antigen (CA)19-9, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) area under the ROC curve was calculated separately as 0.835, 0.870, 0.828. 95% confidence interval ranged were 0.758-0.912, 0.803-0.936, and 0.749-0.906 respectively. In the cholangiocarcinoma patients, the diagnostic sensitivities of the tumor markers decreased in the order of CEACAM6>CA19-9>CEA (t=2.046, P=0.012), and the specificity in the order of CA19-9>CEACAM6>CEA (t=1.833, P=0.001). Conclusion The combined detection of CEACAM6 and CA19-9 can improve the diagnostic efficiency of cholangiocarcinoma. Key words: Cholangiocarcinoma; Carcinoembryonic antigenelated cell adhesion molecule 6; Carcinomic antigen 19-9