title: Carcinoembryonic antigen levels in the diagnosis of malignant lesions of the abdominopelvic region.
abstract: The differential diagnosis of tumors of the abdominopelvic region can be difficult. The inability to differentiate carcinoma of the colon and rectum from carcinoma of the ovary, in particular, may result in inadequate surgical procedures and unnecessary complications. In this study, elevated pretreatment levels of carcinoembryonic antigen were used as an aid in distinguishing between extragenital and gynecologic tumors in 76 women. Levels below 10 nanograms per milliliter suggested a malignant tumor of the female reproductive tract or benign disease; levels above 20 nanograms per milliliter indicated carcinoma of an extragenital organ. In addition to other diagnostic studies, pretreatment values of carcinoembryonic antigen may enable the physical to anticipate the specificity of the tumor and the scope of the surgical problem more precisely and, thus, be better able to prepare the patient for optimum treatment.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen