MUC5AC and pancreatitis: Elevated MUC5AC levels are also detectableby enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in the serum of pancreatic cancer patients.43 In one study, the combined measurement of serum levels of MUC5AC andCA19-9—the best-established diagnostic serum marker for pancreatic cancer—showedhigher specificity and sensitivity than CA19-9 alone in differentiating pancreaticcancer from normal tissue, benign neoplasms and pancreatitis.4 Measurement of patient’s MUC5AC serum levels could not only be useful forpotential early diagnosis but also serve for monitoring of recurrence and responseto therapy.