Some diseases can have specific membrane proteins as targeting markers that endow biomimetic nanoparticles with natural tropism to affected areas, such as CD138 in multiple myeloma. Which examples are there for Pancreatic Cancer?
The tumor marker, Carbohydrate antigen 19-9, (CA 19-9) radioimmuno assa (RIA) is the most commonly used for the pancreatic cancer. It's normal blood levels in U/ml is 0-35U/ml. The antigen is naturally produced/secreted by the epithelim of the biliary and pancreatic duct system but rarely released into peripheral circuit, but in pathology of those systems, serum levels are detectable in high values in the order of 3 folds the upper limit of the normal with sensitivity of 69% - 90% and Specificity of about the same range, as a matter of fact, elevations in which values are 100U/ml ave respectability indicators with low being favorable and vise versus.
The CA 19-9 being resident in the biliary system therefore, other benign pathologies of this thus cause notable elevations albeit most times less than 100U/ml
CD109, a glycophosphatidylinositol-anchored glycoprotein, was recognized as a cell surface antigen on some normal hematopoietic and metpoietic tumor cells. CD109 engages in the EGF signaling in SK-MG-1 glioblastoma cells. The cell surface glycoprotein CD109 was identified in BxPC3 cells from primary pancreatic cancer. CD109 glycoprotein is expressed in the BxPC3, MIACaPa-2, and Panc-1 cell lines. Also, CD109 overexpression was observed in PDAC. The expression of CD109 was evaluated in normal pancreatic tissues and PDAC samples by cell-surface capture technique and immunohistochemistry.
One tumor marker test used in pancreatic cancer is called CA19-9. It may be helpful in understanding how the cancer responds to treatment. But the test isn't always reliable because some people with pancreatic cancer don't have elevated CA19-9 levels, making the test less helpful.