The Clinical Study On The Relations Of Vitamin C, CEA, CA_19-9 And CA_72-4 In The Gastric Juice Of Patients With Gastric Cancer Or Gastric Precancerous Lesions

Objective To investigate the levels of vitamin C, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) and carbohydrate antigen 72-4(CA72-4) in the patients diagnosed with gastric cancer and all stages of gastric precancerous lesions and evaluate the individual and combined diagnostic utility of four markers in the gastric cancer.Methods The gastric juice levels of vitamin C, CEA, CA19-9 and CA 72-4 in 41 cases gastric cancer and 65 cases precancerous lesions were assayed using colorimetric method and immunoradiometric analysis (IRMA). The value of every marker was determined with sensitivity, specificity, positive predicted value, negative predicted value and coincidence rate.Results The gastric juice level of vitamin C in patients with gastric cancer was lower than those with the precancerous lesions (P<0.01), and the gastric juice level of Vitamin C in patients with chronic atrophy gastritis was lower than those with chronic superficial gastritis (P<0.05). Using the cut-off values 10.75μg/ml, 19.79ng/ml,49.22U/ml,35.18ng/ml for the gastric juice vitamin C, CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-4, respectively, the sensitivity (%) and specificity (%) of these markers were as follows: vitamin C; 63/71, CEA; 46/69, CA19-9; 49/66 and CA72-4; 54/65. When vitamin C, CEA and CA19-9 combined, the sensitivity and specificity were increased (86.57 and 74.76%, respectively) while the combination of vitamin C with other markers increased sensitivity but decreased specificity.Conclusions There is a close relation of vitamin C, CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-4 in the gastric juice in patients with gastric cancer or gastric precancerous lesions. Combined vitamin C, CEA and CA19-9 in the gastric juice can contribute to add the diagnosis utility in the gastric cancer.