title: [Carcinoembryonal antigen and the follow up of patients after resection of colon carcinoma with curative intent: a Markov process in decision analysis].
abstract: The follow-up of colon cancer patients by monitoring serum carcinoembryonic antigen has advantages (better survival after early detection of recurrence by CEA rise) as well as disadvantages (false-positive rise of CEA, and early detection of incurable recurrences in asymptomatic patients). The effects of CEA follow-up on quality-adjusted life expectancy (QUALE) of patients with curatively resected colon carcinoma have been simulated by a Markov analysis using literature data. The value of CEA seems insignificant and varies, depending on the literature data used, from a mean increase of QUALE by 6 days (+0.4%) to a mean decrease by 2 days (-0.07%). This value depends on patient-related variables; the negative effects of CEA especially predominate in older patients with favourable Dukes' stages of primary tumour.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Kievit
authors: C J
authors: CJ
authors: van de Velde
authors: B C
authors: BC
authors: de Vries
mesh_terms: D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003663:Decision Trees; D006801:Humans; D008390:Markov Chains; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen
vernacular_title: Carcino-embryonaal antigeen en de nacontrole van patiënten met een in opzet curatief gereseceerd coloncarcinoom: een besliskundige Markov-analyse.