<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec><h3>Background</h3><p>We explored the prognostic value of the up-regulated carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) in node-negative patients with gastric cancer as a surrogate marker for micrometastases.</p></sec><sec><h3>Patients and methods</h3><p>Micrometastases were determined using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for a subgroup of 30 node-negative patients. This group was used to determine the cut-off for preoperative CA19-9 serum levels as a surrogate marker for micrometastases. Then 187 node-negative T1 to T4 patients were selected to validate the predictive value of this CA19-9 threshold.</p></sec><sec><h3>Results</h3><p>Patients with micrometastases had significantly higher preoperative CA19-9 serum levels compared to patients without micrometastases (<italic>p</italic> = 0.046). CA19-9 serum levels were significantly correlated with tumour site, tumour diameter, and perineural invasion. Although not reaching significance, subgroup analysis showed better five-year survival rates for patients with CA19-9 serum levels below the threshold, compared to patients with CA19-9 serum levels above the cut-off. The cumulative survival for T2 to T4 node-negative patients was significantly better with CA19-9 serum levels below the cut-off (<italic>p</italic> = 0.04).</p></sec><sec><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Preoperative CA19-9 serum levels can be used to predict higher risk for haematogenous spread and micrometastases in node-negative patients. However, CA19-9 serum levels lack the necessary sensitivity and specificity to reliably predict micrometastases.</p></sec></abstract>

BackgroundWe explored the prognostic value of the up-regulated carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) in node-negative patients with gastric cancer as a surrogate marker for micrometastases.Patients and methodsMicrometastases were determined using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for a subgroup of 30 node-negative patients. This group was used to determine the cut-off for preoperative CA19-9 serum levels as a surrogate marker for micrometastases. Then 187 node-negative T1 to T4 patients were selected to validate the predictive value of this CA19-9 threshold.ResultsPatients with micrometastases had significantly higher preoperative CA19-9 serum levels compared to patients without micrometastases (p = 0.046). CA19-9 serum levels were significantly correlated with tumour site, tumour diameter, and perineural invasion. Although not reaching significance, subgroup analysis showed better five-year survival rates for patients with CA19-9 serum levels below the threshold, compared to patients with CA19-9 serum levels above the cut-off. The cumulative survival for T2 to T4 node-negative patients was significantly better with CA19-9 serum levels below the cut-off (p = 0.04).ConclusionsPreoperative CA19-9 serum levels can be used to predict higher risk for haematogenous spread and micrometastases in node-negative patients. However, CA19-9 serum levels lack the necessary sensitivity and specificity to reliably predict micrometastases.

CA19-9 serum levels predict micrometastases in patients with gastric cancer

Department of Abdominal and General Surgery, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Sloveni

Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Radiology and Oncology

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

{"article-title":"CA19-9 serum levels predict micrometastases in patients with gastric cancer"}

BackgroundWe explored the prognostic value of the up-regulated carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) in node-negative patients with gastric cancer as a surrogate...

CA19-9 serum levels predict micrometastases in patients with gastric cancer

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Apr 23, 2016

Page range: 204 - 211

Received: Oct 04, 2014

Accepted: May 09, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/raon-2015-0025

Keywords
gastric cancer, micrometastases, CA19-9

© 2016 Radiol Oncol

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

CA19-9 serum levels predict micrometastases in patients with gastric cancer

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Apr 23, 2016

Page range: 204 - 211

Received: Oct 04, 2014

Accepted: May 09, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/raon-2015-0025

Keywordsgastric cancer, micrometastases, CA19-9

© 2016 Radiol Oncol

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Keywords
gastric cancer, micrometastases, CA19-9