Multiple tumor marker protein chip detection system in diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND The clinical stage of the disease at diagnosis often determines the prognosis and survival rate of a patient with pancreatic cancer. Early symptoms of pancreatic cancer are often not obvious on imaging (ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and so on), and when patients present with weight loss, jaundice and abdominal pain and other symptoms, they are usually already in the advanced stages of pancreatic cancer. However, the examination of combined tumor markers might improve their sensitivity or specificity in aiding diagnosis. METHODS Twelve tumor markers including AFP, CEA, NSE, CA125, CA15-3, CA242, CA19-9, PSA, f-PSA, FER, β-HCG and HGH were measured by the protein biochip detection in serum in 235 pancreatic cancer patients, 230 benign pancreatic disease patients and 240 healthy people. RESULTS Positive detection rates of tumor markers were: CA19-9 (49.3%), CA125 (45.1%), FER (44.2%), CA242 (42.5%), CEA (38.6%), CA15-3 (36.7%), β-HCG (29.6%), AFP (24.5%), NSE (18.2%), PSA (19.5%), f-PSA (9.4%) and HGH (8.7%) respectively. There was significant difference in CA19-9, NSE, CEA, CA242 and CA125 by multi-tumor marker protein biochip detection among patients with cancer, benign disease and healthy people (P<0.05). The positive rate of 5 tumor markers was 94.9%, and this was much higher than that of any single marker. CONCLUSION The detection of CA19-9, NSE, CEA, CA242 and CA125 in the multi-tumor marker protein biochip system is helpful in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.