title: Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level as a prognostic indicator in colorectal cancer.
abstract: We examined the relation of carcinoembryonic antigen levels to time, site and extent of recurrence in 358 patients with colorectal cancer. The recurrence rate was higher in patients with Dukes' B and Dukes' C lesions who had preoperative levels higher than 5 ng per milliliter. There was a linear inverse correlation between preoperative levels and estimated mean time to recurrence in patients with Dukes' B and C lesions, ranging from 30 months for a level of 2 to 9.8 months for a level of 70 ng per milliliter. In patients with Dukes' C lesions the median time to recurrence was 13 months if preoperative levels were higher than 5 ng per milliliter, and 28 months if they were lower. Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen levels in patients with resectable Dukes' B and C cancer provided an additional criterion for allocating these patients to groups at high or low risk for recurrence.
mesh_terms: D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen