[Evaluation of biliary CEA in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer with liver metastases].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical significance of biliary CEA for diagnosing colorectal cancer with liver metastases.


METHODS
Three groups of patients were examined: 30 patients with benign disease in group A, 30 patients with colorectal cancer in group B, and 15 colorectal cancer patients with liver metastasis in group C. Fasting venous blood was drawn, and in the meatime, bile was collected by duodenal tube drainage before operation. CEA was detected with immunosorbent assay kit supplied by Boehringer.


RESULTS
The serum level of CEA in group A, B, and C was (3.2 +/- 0.5) ng/ml, (11.7 +/- 2.4) ng/ml, and (14.8 +/- 3.5) ng/ml, respectively. The biliary CEA level was (23.7 +/- 8.6) ng/ml, (129.4 +/- 36) ng/ml, and (862 +/- 227) ng/ml, respectively. The difference in biliary CEA between group B and group C was statistically significant (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
CEA level in the bile collected by duodenal drainage helps confirm liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer.
Huang
M
M
Beijing Hospital, Beijing 100730.
Tang
D
D
Li
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001646:Bile / Q000737:chemistry*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen