Affiliations: International PhD Program in Neuropharmacology,
University of Catania Medical School, Catania, Italy | Department of Internal Medicine and Systemic Diseases,
University of Catania, Catania, Italy | Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical Chemistry
and Molecular Biology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy | Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer
Institute, Aviano, PN, Italy
Note: [] Corresponding author: Maria Giordano, Department of Internal
Medicine and Systemic Diseases, University of Catania, Via Messina 829, 95126
Catania, Italy. Tel.: +39 095 7262008; E-mail: maria-gior@hotmail.it
Abstract: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a relatively rare type of primary liver
cancer that originates in the bile duct epithelium. It is an aggressive
malignancy typified by unresponsiveness to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Despite advances in radiologic techniques and laboratory diagnostic test, the
diagnosis of CCA remains highly challenging. Development in molecular
techniques has led to go into the possible use of serum markers in diagnosing
of cholangiocarcinoma. This review summarizes the principal characteristics of
serum markers of cholangiocarcinoma. The tumour markers used frequently such as
Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), Carcinogenic Embryonic antigen (CEA), and
Cancer Antigen 125 have shown sufficient sensitivity and specificity to detect
and monitor CCA. In particular, the combination of these tumour markers seems
to increase their efficiency in diagnosing of cholangiocarcinoma. New markers
such as Soluble fragment of cytokeratin 19 (CYFRA 21-1) Mucins, Tumour
Markers_{2} pyruvate-Kinase (TuM_{2-}
PK) and metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) have been recently shown to help in the
diagnosis of CCA, with in some cases a prognostic value.
Keywords: Cholangiocarcinoma, tumor markers, CA 19-9, CEA
