[CEA and breast neoplasms: application of a personal method for determination of CEA in the clinical study of 242 patients (author's transl)].
The authors report their experience of the clinical application of monitoring serum CEA levels in breast tumours, obtained by a new direct method of determination. A total of 242 patients were studied: 124 with benign tumours, 75 with primary carcinoma in various stages; and 43 who had previously undergone to surgery for breast carcinoma. The analysis of pre-surgical specimens demonstrate consistently normal values for the benign tumors, whereas patients with malignant tumours had positive values in 40 p. 100 of cases. Significant differences in values were seen between benign tumours and Stage II malignant tumours, and between Stage II and Stage III tumours, whereas there was no significant difference between benign forms and Stage I, and between Stage III and Stage IV. In patients with metastases, followed up after surgery, the CEA was positive in 94 p. 100 of the cases. In the opinion of the authors, CEA levels do not seem to be useful for the early diagnosis of malignant breast tumours but are important, harmless and inexpensive, in the follow-up of patients who have undergone surgery for breast neoplasms.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000032:analysis* / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen
ACE et tumeurs mammaires: application d'une méthode personnelle de détermination de l'ACE à l'étude clinique de 242 malades.