Serum CEA in the follow-up of colorectal carcinoma: experience in a district general hospital.
Serum CEA was measured at 6-monthly intervals, over a 3-year period, in 102 patients being followed up after apparently complete excision of colorectal carcinoma. Residual disease was identified in 27 patients and was preceded by a CEA rise in 22 of these patients (81.5%). The CEA was initially normal in 68% of patients with residual disease in whom it subsequently rose. Rise in CEA was not detected until a median of 14 weeks before recurrence was diagnosed clinically. CEA-instigated second-look laparotomy was performed in 7 patients (31.5% of cases with CEA-associated residual disease). Despite a high resectability rate, no patient was cured. The results might have been improved by more frequent CEA measurement and more immediate second-look laparotomy, but in this study, CEA rise was not associated with surgically curable residual disease.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen