[Place of carbohydrate antigens in the spectrum of protein tumor markers in patients with tumors at different sites].

Carbohydrate antigens (CA-19.9 and CA-125) levels were assayed in patients suffering rectal, ovarian, breast and hepatic carcinoma, severe recurrent hepatitis A, chronic persistent hepatitis B, hepatic cirrhosis and in cases of normal pregnancy. Patients with early-stage cancer usually failed to reveal the said antigens. This was also the case in some patients with clinically manifest tumor. Clinical application of said assay may improve postoperative monitoring cancer patients. Cancer was more frequently associated with increased level of CA-19.9 than with that of CA-125.