Clinical Significance of Tumor Markers in Gastric Cancer Patients after Curative Resection

근치적 절제술을 시행한 위암 환자에서 종양 표지자의 임상적 의미

  • Kim, Sa-Young (Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University) ;
  • Ha, Tae-Kyung (Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University) ;
  • Kwon, Sung-Joon (Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University)
  • 김사영 (한양대학교 의과대학 외과학교실) ;
  • 하태경 (한양대학교 의과대학 외과학교실) ;
  • 권성준 (한양대학교 의과대학 외과학교실)
  • Published : 2009.09.30

Abstract

Purpose: This clinical study was conducted to evaluate the predictive value of tumor markers for recurrence and the clinical significance of false positive findings after curative gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Two hundred ninety patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy with curative intent were evaluated retrospectively. We analyzed the correlations between changes in tumor markers (CEA, CA 19-9, AFP, and CA-125) and clinicopathologic data, and basis for changes in tumor markers without recurrence during the follow-up period. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of tumor markers for recurrence were 75.0%, 64.6%, 23.1%, 94.8%, and 65.9% respectively. Among 36 patients with recurrences, 10 patients (27.8%) had elevated tumor markers prior to positive findings on imaging studies, while 13 patients (36.1%) had concomitant elevation in tumor markers. At least 1 of the 4 tumor markers increased in 90 of 290 patients during the follow-up period; however, there was no evidence of tumor recurrence. Twenty patients had persistently elevated tumor markers, while the tumor marker levels in 70 patients returned to normal level within $9.08\pm7.2$ months. The patients with pulmonary disease, hepatobiliary disease, diabetes, hypertension, or herbal medication users had elevated tumor markers more frequently than patients without disease (P<0.001). Conclusion: Although detecting recurrence of gastric cancer with tumor markers may be useful, false positive findings of tumor markers are common, so surgeons should consider other chronic benign diseases and medical conditions when tumor markers increase without evidence of recurrence.

목적: 위암으로 진단받고 근치적 절제술을 시행받은 환자를 대상으로 수술 전 및 수술 후에 정기적으로 시행한 종양표지자(AFP, CEA, CA19-9, CA125)의 추적검사 결과를 분석하고 위암 재발의 조기진단과 관련한 임상적 의미를 판정하였다. 또한 종양 표지자의 위양성률과 비종양성 만성질환과의 연관성을 알아보았다. 대상 및 방법: 2003년 11월부터 2006년 11월까지 한양대학교병원에 위암으로 입원하여 근치적 절제술을 시행받은 환자 290명을 대상으로 후향적 연구를 시행하였다. CEA (정상 참고치: 5 ng/ml), CA19-9 (39 U/ml), AFP (7.0 ng/ml), CA125 (35 U/ml) 네 가지 종양표지자값을 측정하였다. 종양표지자값의 변화와 내시경적 검사를 통한 조직 검사나 방사선학적 검사를 통한 재발 여부와의 연관성을 분석하였다. 수술 후 종양의 재발은 없으나 종양표지자값이 정상 이상으로 상승한 위양성 환자에서 비종양성 만성 질환과의 연관성을 분석하였다. 결과: 재발과 관련하여 종양표지자 검사의 민감도, 특이도, 양성예측도, 음성예측도는 각각 75.0%, 64.6%, 23.1%, 94.8%였다. 재발이 발생한 36예 중 10예(27.8%)의 경우에서는 영상의학검사에서 재발이 발견되기 전 종양표지자의 상승이 먼저 나타났으며, 13예(36.1%)의 경우에서는 영상의학검사와 동시에 종양표지자의 상승이 나타났다 추적 기간 동안 재발이 발생하지 않은 254명 중 90명의 환자에서 적어도 한 가지 이상의 종양표지자가 상승하여 35.4%의 위양성를을 나타내었다. 재발의 증거가 없으나 종양표지자가 상승했던 90명의 환자 중에 70명의 환자는 추적 검사 상 수치가 정상화 되었으나(기간: $9.08\pm7.2$개월), 20명의 환자는 지속적으로 정상 수치 이상 유지되었다. 두 군 간의 성별, 나이, 성별, 림프절 전이 여부, 조직형, 병기 등의 차이는 없었으나 비종양성 만성 질환(폐질환, 간담도계 질환, 고혈압 당뇨, 흡연, 민간요법) 유무의 차이가 있었다. 만성 질환이 있는 군이 없는 군에 비해 종양표지자가 지속적으로 상승되어 있는 양상을 나타내었다(P=0.007). 결론: 위암 근치적 절제술 후 재발 진단의 목적으로 종양 표지자는 영상의학검사 등의 다른 검사와 병합하여 활용할 수 있을 것이다. 또한 비종양성 만성 질환이 있는 경우 종양표지자가 상승하는 경우도 있으므로 이에 대한 고려가 필요할 것이다.

Keywords

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