title: [Assay of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in acute and chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma].
abstract: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) has been studied with a radioimmunoassay technique with an antiserum obtained from hepatic metastases of colonic cancer (Sorin Biomedica, Saluggia). The normal range of seric CEA varies from 0 to 10 ng/ml; 10 ng/ml is the higher value found in a smoker healthy subject. Seric CEA than 10 ng/ml has been found in 27% of cirrhoses, 39% of acute viral hepatitis (HBsAg+), 13.3% of chronic active hepatitis, 7.7% of chronic persistent hepatitis, 36% of alcoholic hepatitis and 100% of hepatomas. The diminished hepatic clearance of the antigen, or the derepression of its regulator gene, or the formation of CEA-like substances may cause the increase of seric CEA in hepatic diseases. The antiserum obtained from hepatic metastases of colonic carcinoma may explain the positivity in all the patients with hepatoma.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology; D006519:Hepatitis, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012907:Smoking
chemical_list: D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen
vernacular_title: Comportamento dell'antigene carcinoembrionale (CEA) nelle epatopatie acute e croniche e nel carcinoma epatocellulare.