Background: Gastrointestinal cancer antigen CA19-9 is known as a valuable marker for the management of patients with pancreatic cancer.
Methods: The analytical and clinical performance of the Access GI Monitor assay (Beckman Coulter) was evaluated on the UniCel Dxl 800 Immunoassay System at five different European sites and compared with a reference method, defined as CA19-9 on the Elecsys System (Roche Diagnostics).
Results: Total imprecision (%CV) of the GI Monitor ranged between 3.4% and 7.7%, and inter-laboratory reproducibility between 3.6% and 4.0%. Linearity upon dilution showed a mean recovery of 97.4% (SD + 7.2%). Endogenous interferents had no influence on GI Monitor levels (mean recoveries: hemoglobin 103%, bilirubin 106%, triglycerides 106%). There was no high-dose hook effect up to 115,000 kU/L. Clinical performance investigated in sera from 1811 individuals showed a good correlation between the Access GI Monitor and Elecsys CA19-9 (R = 0.959, slope = 1.004, intercept = +0.17). GI Monitor serum levels were low in healthy individuals (n = 267, median = 6.0 kU/L, 95th percentile=23.1 kU/L), higher in individuals with various benign diseases (n = 550, medians = 5.8-13.4 kU/L, 95th percentiles = 30.1-195.5 kU/L) and even higher in individuals suffering from various cancers (n = 995, medians = 8.4-233.8 kU/L, 95th percentiles = 53.7-13,902 kU/L). Optimal diagnostic accuracy for cancer detection against the relevant benign control group by the GI Monitor was found for pancreatic cancer [area under the curve (AUC) 0.83]. Results for the reference CA19-9 assay were comparable (AUC 0.85).
Conclusions: The Access GI Monitor provides very good methodological characteristics and demonstrates an excellent analytical and clinical correlation with the Elecsys CA19-9. The GI Monitor shows the best diagnostic accuracy in pancreatic cancer. Our results also suggest a clinical value of the GI Monitor in other cancers.