Ng RK, Shelat VG. Carbohydrate antigen 72-4 and tumor-associated glycoprotein 72 - tumor marker: Past, present and future. World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol 2026; 17(3): 125464 [DOI: 10.4291/wjgp.125464]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Vishal G Shelat, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of General Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433, Singapore. vgshelat@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
review-article
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World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. Sep 22, 2026; 17(3): 125464 Published online Sep 22, 2026. doi: 10.4291/wjgp.125464
Carbohydrate antigen 72-4 and tumor-associated glycoprotein 72 - tumor marker: Past, present and future
Rui-Kyi Ng, Vishal G Shelat
Rui-Kyi Ng, Department of General Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
Vishal G Shelat, Department of General Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore 308433, Singapore
Author contributions: Shelat VG conceptualized and designed the study, supervised, and made critical revisions; Ng RK and Shelat VG conducted the literature review, consolidated the data, drafted the manuscript, and made critical revisions; all authors contributed to preparation of the draft and approved the submitted version.
AI contribution statement: Both authors have none to declare.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Vishal G Shelat, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of General Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433, Singapore. vgshelat@gmail.com
Received: July 8, 2026 Revised: July 28, 2026 Accepted: September 1, 2026 Published online: September 22, 2026 Processing time: 63 Days and 0.2 Hours
Abstract
Carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA72-4) is a serum tumor marker linked to tumor-associated glycoprotein 72 (TAG-72), a high-molecular-weight mucin-like antigen identified during the monoclonal-antibody era. Although developed later than CA19-9 and most closely associated with gastric cancer, CA72-4 has since attracted broader interest across gastrointestinal oncology, peritoneal disease, malignant effusions, cytology, benign false-positive states and TAG-72-directed translational research. This review examines the history, biology, clinical utility, diagnostic limitations and future applications of CA72-4 and TAG-72, using gastric cancer as the principal clinical anchor while considering wider esophagogastric, colorectal, appendiceal, pancreaticobiliary, peritoneal and fluid-based applications. Current evidence supports CA72-4 as an adjunctive biomarker rather than a population screening test or stand-alone diagnostic tool. Its most defensible clinical roles are in gastric cancer risk stratification, peritoneal disease assessment, selected multimarker panels and malignant effusion work-up. Looking ahead, TAG-72 may ultimately prove more clinically consequential than serum CA72-4 itself if imaging, cytology-based diagnostics and targeted therapeutic platforms continue to mature.
Core Tip: Carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA72-4) refers mainly to the clinical assay or serum readout of circulating tumor-associated glycoprotein 72 (TAG-72)-related antigenic determinants; while TAG-72 refers to the broader TAG target. Gastric cancer remains the main clinical setting for CA72-4, especially in prognosis, recurrence assessment and peritoneal dissemination. Pleural-fluid CA72-4 has high specificity but modest sensitivity for malignant pleural effusion, supporting a rule-in adjunctive role. TAG-72 also links CA72-4 to cytology, immunohistochemistry, molecular imaging and cellular therapy research. Future studies should prioritize assay standardization, disease-specific thresholds, marker kinetics and patient-management outcomes.
