Evaluation of Cancer‐Associated Carbohydrate Antigen (NCC‐ST‐439) Measurement in Pure Pancreatic Juice Collected by Endoscopic Aspiration

This study was undertaken to elucidate the diagnostic significance of the measurement of a cancer-associated carbohydrate antigen, NCC-ST-439 (ST-439), in pure pancreatic juice collected by endoscopic cannulation, chiefly from patients with pancreatic diseases. The mean concentrations of ST-439 in each of the 4 fractions collected were significantly higher in patients with pancreatic cancer than in controls, but patients with chronic pancreatitis or cholecystolithiasis did not have higher levels. Similarly, a significant increase in the mean output of ST-439 was observed only in patients with pancreatic cancer. When the cut-of value was set at the mean concentration+ 2 X the standard deviations of the controls, significant concentrations of ST-439 were found, in the first fraction (washout phase) in 56% of the pancreatic cancer cases, 31% of the chronic pancreatitis cases and 0% of the cholecystolithiasis cases; in the third fraction (secretory phase) results were 50%, 7% and 0%, respectively. Furthermore, when the cut-of value was set at the highest concentration found among patients with chronic pancreatitis (to enhance the specificity for pancreatic cancer), the prevalence of significant ST-339 levels among Pancreatic cancer patients was 50% in the first fraction and 44% in the third fraction. These results indicate that the measurement of ST-439 in pancreatic juice is useful as a specific marker for pancreatic cancer, although its sensitivity is less than was initially hoped