Clinical evaluation of a new serum tumour marker CA 242 in pancreatic carcinoma.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the new monoclonal tumour marker CA 242 in the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma and to compare it with the established markers CA 50 and CEA. Serum concentrations were determined in 113 patients with jaundice, in 20 patients with laboratory values suggesting cholestasis, and in 60 patients with a suspicion to have chronic pancreatitis. Twenty-four of these 193 patients had pancreatic carcinoma and two patients had carcinoma of papilla of Vater. The sensitivities of CA 242, CA 50 and CEA were 80.7%, 96.1%, and 92.3%, respectively. The specificities were 79.0%, 58.0%, and 59.2%. The sensitivities of combinations of CA 50 and CEA with CA 242 did not exceed the sensitivity of CA 50 alone. The specificity of CA 242 was improved by combining it with CEA (92.2%). The serum marker CA 242 seems to be less sensitive than CEA and CA 50 in the detection of pancreatic carcinoma, but it may prove useful because of its high specificity.