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. 2007 Mar 26;21(2):103–106. doi: 10.1002/jcla.20136

Serum Levels of CA19‐9 in patients with nonmalignant respiratory diseases

Takahide Kodama 1, Hiroaki Satoh 1,✉, Hiroichi Ishikawa 1, Morio Ohtsuka 1
PMCID: PMC6648978  PMID: 17385665

Abstract

CA19‐9 is a specific tumor marker in patients with gastrointestinal cancer; however, some patients with respiratory disease can have elevated serum levels of CA19‐9 as well. In this study we evaluated serum CA19‐9 levels of patients with nonmalignant respiratory diseases. We also estimated the prognostic significance of elevated serum levels of CA19‐9 in patients with interstitial lung diseases. The study included 554 patients who had been diagnosed at our hospital during the period of 1984–2005. Serum CA19‐9 levels in these patients were measured with a commercially available kit. Elevated levels (>37 U/mL) of CA19‐9 were observed in 30.7% of patients with lung cancer. Furthermore, 38.9% of patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP), collagen disease‐associated pulmonary fibrosis (CDPF), diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB), and bronchiectasis had elevated serum CA19‐9 levels. Survival rates were significantly lower in patients with interstitial lung diseases (IIP and CDPF) and elevated serum CA19‐9 levels than in those with levels in the normal range (P=0.0065). Serum CA19‐9 was elevated in some patients with nonmalignant diffuse lung diseases. Therefore, clinicians should pay attention to the evidence that increased serum CA19‐9 levels can be found in nonmalignant respiratory disease patients. In patients with IIP and CDPF, elevated serum CA19‐9 levels may be related to poor prognosis. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 21:103–106, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Keywords: CA19‐9, respiratory diseases, lung cancer, idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, collagen diseases, lung fibrosis, prognosis

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