Gastric cancer is a multifactorial disease with dietary and infection (especially with H. Pylori) being the most important factors; it shows a remarkable variation in distribution worldwide and the incidence have fallen dramatically in past decades, nevertheless it ranks fourth among the commonest cancer and second leading cause of cancer related death, and so global health problem. The aim of the study is measurement of the serum level of CA 72-4 to determine its effectiveness in patients with gastric cancer. The serum level of CA 72-4 was measured in 35 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma preoperative and 8 patients postoperatively, compared with 25 patients control (chronic gastritis) and 18 health control by using immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA) kit. X. In this study the median age of patients with gastric cancer was (53.4 ± 13.9) years, with male to female ratio about 1:1.15. Serological data revealed that the elevated level of serum CA 72-4 was detected in about 48% with 100% specificity, and about 60% sensitivity for advanced disease, the elevated level of serum CA 72-4 correlate significantly with lymph node involvement, extra-nodal metastasis, and tumor invasion, (the P value was < 0.01, 0.028, 0.016 respectively), consequently with disease extension and preoperative stage prediction, the best relationship was with metastasis (80%) sensitivity. In conclusion, according to the present data, CA 72-4 is a useful marker in detecting advanced gastric cancer, and non-invasive tool in predicting stage cancer.
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