Abstract
The differential diagnosis between pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis is extremely
difficult. Beside CA19-9 level determinations, many tests have been tried with the
aim to facilitate this distinction. Serum androgen levels have been used for this
purpose. To further explore the value of androgen markers in differentiating pancreatic
cancer from chronic pancreatitis we determined the serum levels of androstanediol
glucuronide and of androgens in the two groups of patients and compared them with
CA19-9 levels. A total of 25 males were entered into the study. Of these, 13 patients
had pancreatic cancer and 12 chronic pancreatitis. They were comparable as to their
body weight and age. Patients with pancreatic cancer had significantly lower serum
testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and androstanediol glucuronide levels, but not testosterone/dihydrotestosterone
ratios when compared to patients with chronic pancreatitis. Only androstanediol glucuronide
and dihydrotestosterone serum concentrations had such a small overlap between the
two groups that could be used for differentiation, their sensitivity and specificity
being comparable to those of CA19-9 levels. The present study has shown for the first
time that serum androstanediol glucuronide levels in male patients with pancreatic
cancer are significantly lower than in those patients with chronic pancreatitis. Furthermore,
the sensitivity and specificity of serum androstanediol glucuronide levels which can
be used to differentiate between pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis are comparable
to those of CA19-9.
Key words
Pancreatic Cancer - Chronic Pancreatitis - Androstanediol Glucuronide - Androgens
