title: Comparison of plasma prolactin and CEA in monitoring patients with adenocarcinoma of colon and rectum.
abstract: Plasma prolactin (PRL) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were measured by radioimmunoassay in 74 patients with adenocarcinoma of colon and rectum. The markers were correlated with disease stage, histological grade and progression/remission of disease. The circulating preoperative median PRL and CEA levels were significantly higher in colorectal cancer patients than in their respective controls. PRL was elevated in all Dukes stages and in all histological grades of the tumour whereas the rise in CEA was more pronounced in Dukes D. Out of 74 patients, 29% (21/74) developed recurrent disease and 31% (23/74) responded to the treatment. With regard to monitoring recurrence(s), the predictive value of PRL was 94% which was significantly greater than that of CEA which was only 62%. In patients who developed liver metastases PRL remained elevated whereas CEA showed more than 100-fold increase. Therefore, we feel that CEA is a better marker for monitoring patients who developed liver metastases. From our results, we suggest that PRL can be used as a better overall marker for detecting recurrence(s) in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Research, Gujarat Cancer Society, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, India.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bhatavdekar
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Giri
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Karelia
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Vora
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Balar
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D011388:Prolactin