STUDIES ON CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SERUM CA19-9 IN PATIENTS WITH CHOLELITHIASIS

Abstract

Serum CA19-9 levels were measured using radioimmunoassay in 45 patients with cholelithiasis and clinical significance of serum CA19-9 was discussed. Results obtained were as follows:
1) Positive rate over cut off level of CA19-9 (>37U/ml) was 27.6% in patients with cholecystolithiasis and 68.8% with choledocholithiasis.
2) Positive rate of serum CA19-9 was high in patients with clinical symptoms such as cholecystitis, cholangitis and obstructive jaundice. The highest titer of CA19-9 was 2350U/ml in a patient with obstructive jaundice.
3) High titer of serum CA19-9 was improved in patients with cholecystolithiasis after subsidence of cholecystitis.
4) There was positive correlation between serum total bilirubin and serum CA19-9 in patients with choledocholithiasis. High titer of serum CA19-9 was normalized in all cases after improvement of obstructive jaundice.
It is suggested by these results that CA19-9 is secreted into bile and this antigen flows back into blood in situation of cholecystitis or obstruction of bile duct.