title: Diagnostic value of carcinoembryonic antigen in exudative pleural effusions.
abstract: Elevated pleural fluid (PF) and plasma (PL) carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels (ng/ml) were more frequently found with malignant than benign exudative effusions, but with a low true-positive rate for malignancy in general. Adenocarcinomatous effusions differed from other malignant and benign effusions in the frequency and degree of elevation of PF and PL CEA levels. A PF > 20 had a sensitivity of 91 percent and a specificity of 92 percent as a screening test for adenocarcinomatous effusions. A PF CEA > 55 or PL CEA > 10 were present only with malignancy and 98 percent specific for adenocarcinoma.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000032:analysis*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen