title: Disappearance curves of tumor markers after radical surgery.
abstract: CEA serum levels were sampled from 15 patients with lung carcinoma, 12 patients with colon carcinoma, and 5 patients with gastric carcinoma before and after radical excision of the malignancy. In addition, TPA serum levels were measured in 7 patients with lung carcinoma and CA 19.9 serum levels in 9 patients with colon carcinoma, before and after curative surgery. Irrespective of the primary malignancy, a CEA half-life of approximately 3 days was calculated. The normalization time was related to the preoperative level of the marker, being longer when the preoperative CEA level was > 20 ng/ml. The TPA half-life was slightly longer than 1 day, ranging from less than 1 day to more than 3 days, with a normalization time of about 20 days. The CA 19.9 half-life was slightly longer than 1 day with variations from less than 1 day to about 3 days. Many factors, especially associated inflammatory processes and hepatic clearance imbalances, may influence marker kinetics in the postoperative period. A correct evaluation of the clinical significance of tumor marker half-life after radical surgery will require a larger number of patients as well as careful and prolonged follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Diseases, Ospedale Molinette, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapellino
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piantino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pecchio
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruffini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavallo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scappaticci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baldi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ciocia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pivetti
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D019396:Tissue Polypeptide Antigen
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D010455:Peptides; D019396:Tissue Polypeptide Antigen