Appendicitis with Elevation of Serum Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 -Report of Two Cases-

Toshiro Ogata, Naofumi Satoh, Susumu Ohwada*, Yoshiki Takai, Isao Kobayashi, Masaaki Aiba, Kohsaku Iijima, Shinji Hasegawa, Toshiaki Mishima, Yasuo Morishita*

Department of Surgery, Public Tomioka General Hospital
*Second Department of Surgery, Gunma University School of Medicine

We report two cases of appendicitis with the elevation of serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) and normal serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels. The histological diagnosis was appendicitis with granulomatous change. CA19-9 levels decreased after surgery. Serum levels of CA19-9 may be elevated in both inflammatory and malignant disease of the gastrointestinal tract. If serum levels of CEA are with normal limits, the appendiceal disease may be benign despite of the elevation of CA19-9 levels.

Key words
appendicitis, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, carcinoembryonic antigen

Reprint requests
Toshiro Ogata Second Department of Surgery, Gunma University School of Medicine
3-39-15 Showa-machi, Maebashi-shi, 371 JAPAN

Accepted
September 9, 1997

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