ABSTRACT

To investigate the clinical significance of serum CEA, CA 19-9, and CA 72-4 levels in patients with erosive gastritis in whom malignancy was ruled out.

Forty patients (12 males, 28 females) diagnosed with ero-sive gastritis by esophagogastroduodenoscopy and having measured tumor marker levels were assessed.

Increased CA 19-9 level was reported in 4 patients (patient 1: 593.3 U/ml; patient 2: 75.8 U/ml; patient 3: 49.9 U/ml; patient 4: 44.8 U/ml). CEA and CA 72-4 levels increased in one patient, 6.33 ng/ml and 5.42 U/ml, respectively. The mean of these markers for the other patients were as follows: CA 19-9: 8.12±8.18 U/ml, CEA: 1.67±0.93 ng/ml, and CA 72-4: 1.64±1.05 U/ml.

Although it was not diagnostic, erosive gastritis may be another cause of tumor marker elevation.