ABSTRACT
From adhesion molecule receptors on the surface of cancer cells, the carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA], carbohydrate antigen 19-9 [CA19-9] and Intercellular adhesion molecules-1 [ICAM-1] have utilized as molecule markers in some cancers including gastrointestinal malignancy. The limitation and the value of either of these, still need more sought for evaluation of the tumor progression. A group of 53 patients with either colon or gastric cancer selected for operation and 23 healthy matched individuals were selected as control. Their blood was taken before and after operation, and the proteins markers concentration was evaluated using radio-immunoassay technique. The histopathological procedures were performed on surgically removed samples and pathological features were correlated with the protein serum levels. The mean +/- std. serum concentrations of gastric and colon serum samples were designed for CEA 54.4 +/- 23 and 53 +/- 22.6 micro g/l, for CA19-9 81 +/- 56 U/ml and 76 +/- 47, and for sICAM-1 701 +/- 189 and 761 +/- 205 ng/ml respectively. The levels of these markers decrease by a range from 14.5%- 47% three months after operation. In patient groups the levels of ICAM-1, CA19-9 and CEA augmented by 4, 5 and 10 folds respectively. The patients with tumors, which were diagnosed with well-differentiated grade, had a higher level of slCAM-1 than the tumors with moderate or poor differentiation. The similar finding was however not confirmed between CEA, CA19-9 and tumor grade. A clinical value of sICAM-1 as a tumor marker with more advantages than CA19-9 and at least similar with CEA in colon and gastric cancer would be conclusive