Background. The neural adhesion molecule N-CAM, a membrane bound glycoprotein, seems to play an important role in the development of normal tissue architecture and in contact-dependent inhibitian of cell growth. Mateials and Methods: We evaluated the behauiour of circulating N-CAM in patients with panueatic cancer (24 cases) and chronic pancreatitis (15 casu) and compared it with that of 20 controls, 6 patients with colon adenoma, 3l with colorectal cancer or 2l with gastric cancer and ascertained the influence of tumor stage and grade on lhe findings. Results: N-CAM leveb were significantly lower in patiens with pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis than in the other groups sndied. High leveb were found only in few colorectal carcinoma patients (4131). No correlation was found between tumor stage and N-CAM levels when pancreatic and colorectal cancer were considered. However, low N-CAM levels were found in 50Vo of advanced, but not in early gastric cancer. When pancreatic, colorectal and gastic cancer were considoed poorly differentiated (G3) had lower leveb of N-CAM than well (Gl) or moderately (G2) differentiated tumorl The vaiations found in circulating N-