Abstract
We have found that elevation of preoperative serum sialyl-Tn antigen (STN) levels is associated with a poor prognosis for gastric cancer patients, and these high levels remain in the advanced stage of the disease. We have now examined findings with the combined assay of STN and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels with regard to prediction of the prognosis of gastric cancer patients. Serum CEA levels and STN levels were determined preoperatively in 349 Japanese patients with gastric cancer. The patients were divided into four groups: (A) the CEA (-) STN (-) group (CEA < or = 5 ng ml-1, STN < or = 45 U ml-1, n = 286); (B) the CEA (-) STN (+) group (CEA < or = 5 ng ml-1, STN > 45 U ml-1, n = 31); (C) the CEA (+) STN (-) group (CEA > 5 ng ml-1, STN < or = 45 U ml-1, n = 17); and (D) the CEA (+) STN (+) group (CEA > 5 ng ml-1, STN > 45 U ml-1, n = 15). Clinicopathological features and the prognosis of these groups were examined. The distribution of two markers showed no significant correlation. The patients in the CEA (+) STN (+) group (group D) had more advanced disease than the patients in CEA (-) STN (-) group (group A); tumour size was larger, serosal invasion was prominent, lymphatic and vascular involvement was frequent and the tumour was more infiltrative. Lymph node metastasis and hepatic metastasis were more common. Total gastrectomy was usually performed, and the non-curative rate was higher. The 5-year survival of patients in the CEA (+) STN (+) (group D) was 14.5 +/- 9.5%, that is lower than that of patients in any other group [CEA (+) STN (-) (group C) 44.1 +/- 12.7% (P < 0.05); CEA (-) STN (+) (group B) 60.1 +/- 9.5% (P > 0.05); CEA (-) STN (-) (group A) 77.6 +/- 9.5% (P < 0.05)]. This combined assay of these markers will aid in estimating the prognosis and selecting appropriate drugs and care for gastric cancer patients.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Takahashi, I., Maehara, Y., Kusumoto, T. et al. Combined evaluation of preoperative serum sialyl-Tn antigen and carcinoembryonic antigen levels is prognostic for gastric cancer patients. Br J Cancer 69, 163–166 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1994.27
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1994.27
This article is cited by
-
Clinical significance of serum tumor markers for gastric cancer: a systematic review of literature by the Task Force of the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association
Gastric Cancer (2014)
-
Regulation of the metastatic cell phenotype by sialylated glycans
Cancer and Metastasis Reviews (2012)