Validity of serum pepsinogen levels and quininium resin test combined for gastric cancer screening.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

To investigate the feasibility of combining several serum markers into a valid serum screening tool for gastric cancer, we performed a study evaluating the association between gastric cancer and precancerous conditions and a blood test for gastric acidity (the blood quininium resin test [QRT]) combined with serum pepsinogen levels.

METHODS:

We performed immunoradiometric assays of serum pepsinogen I (PG I), II (PG II) levels, and QRT's in 10 endoscopically normal subjects, in 20 patients with chronic atrophic gastritis, and in 13 patients with biopsy-confirmed gastric adenocarcinoma.

RESULTS:

Serum PG I, II levels, I/II ratio were significantly different among normal, gastritis, and cancer patients. Serum PG I/II ratios were much lower in cancer patients. Serum quinine levels by QRT were correlated with PG I/II ratio (rs=0.39, p<0.01). Age was negatively correlated both with PG I/II ratio (rs=-0.58, p<0.01) and serum quinine level (rs=-0.45, p<0.01). The screening using serum PG levels was more valid (sensitivity of 69%, specificity of 77%) than that using QRT alone. The combination of serum PG levels and QRT increased specificity for detecting gastric cancer to 87% without altering sensitivity.

CONCLUSION:

Although blood QRT is a useful addition to other serum screening tests for gastric cancer, these tests alone are not sufficiently accurate as screening tools for gastric cancer.

• Authors: Jang-Rak Kim, Kyongwu Lee, Woon-Tae Jung, Ok-Jae Lee, Tae-Hyo Kim, Hyun-Jin Kim, Jong-Sil Lee, Douglas J Passaro
• Journal: Cancer detection and prevention (Cancer Detect Prev) Vol. 29 Issue 6 Pg. 570-5 ( 2005) ISSN: 0361-090X [Print] England
• PMID: 16289505 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Pepsinogen A
• Quinine

Topics

• Adenocarcinoma (blood, diagnosis)
• Adult
• Age Factors
• Aged
• Female
• Gastric Acidity Determination
• Gastritis, Atrophic (blood, diagnosis)
• Humans
• Male
• Mass Screening (methods)
• Middle Aged
• Pepsinogen A (blood)
• Precancerous Conditions (blood, diagnosis)
• Quinine (blood)
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Stomach Neoplasms (blood, diagnosis)