ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Gastric atrophy caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a risk factor for gastric cancer. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between gastric cancer risk and tumor markers in the general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 688 volunteers were examined to test their serum pepsinogen (PG) levels and anti-H. pylori antibodies, in addition to a total of 22 serum tumor markers. The participants were classified into four groups according to their anti-H. pylori antibody and serum PG serological status. Accordingly, groups A and D were negative, whereas groups B and C were positive for anti-H. pylori antibodies; and groups A and B were normal, whereas groups C and D were abnormal for serum PG levels. All the blood examination results were statistically evaluated using Student's t-test among these groups. RESULTS: There were 424, 202, 50, and 12 individuals in groups A, B, C, and D, respectively. Because of the small number of participants in groups C and D, we combined these two groups. Compared to the normal group (A), a statistically significant higher in adenosine deaminase level was found in group C+D (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: This result supports a previous study indicating that adenosine deaminase is involved in the regulatory system of chronic atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer risk.
Subject(s)
Adenosine Deaminase/blood , Stomach Neoplasms/enzymology , Adenosine Deaminase/physiology , Adult , Aged , Chronic Disease , Female , Gastritis, Atrophic/enzymology , Gastritis, Atrophic/etiology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pepsinogen A/blood , Risk Factors , Stomach Neoplasms/etiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), Kerbs von den Lungen (KL-6) and breast cancer antigen 225 (BCA225) are widely used tumor markers for breast and lung cancer respectively. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 460 Japanese volunteers for 99 items on blood examination including 27 serum tumor markers. Correlations between 27 tumor markers and the other items were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Positive correlations were identified between CA15-3 vs. KL-6, CA15-3 vs. BCA225, and KL-6 vs. BCA225, with correlation coefficients of 0.84, 0.86, and 0.79, respectively. CONCLUSION: This is the first report to show a positive correlation among these markers in the general population. All of these are recognized as belonging to the mucin family, and this might be the reason for the positive correlation.
