The use of tumor markers as predictors of prognosis in gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) levels in patients with gastric cancer.


METHODS
During the period January 2000 and January 2003, 36 patients operated for primary gastric cancer, at Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Department of General Surgery, were analyzed. Serum CEA and CA19-9 levels were determined preoperatively and the correlation between the elevated levels of tumor markers and several clinicopathological features, and survival were evaluated.


RESULTS
Elevated serum CEA and CA19-9 levels were determined in 10 of 35 patients (28.6%), and 9 of 31 patients (29%), respectively, and both markers were elevated in 3 of 31 patients (9.6%). Elevated levels of CEA correlated with depth of invasion (p=0.018) and pathological stage (p=0.029); elevated levels of CA19-9 correlated with lymph node metastasis (p=0.026); and elevated levels of both markers correlated well with lymph node metastasis (p=0.031). The survival of patients with normal CEA levels was significantly better than those with elevated levels (p=0.0072).


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative serum CEA and CA19-9 levels may add useful information in patients with gastric carcinoma, and CEA level is a predictor of prognosis.
Mihmanli
Mehmet
M
Department of General Surgery, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. mmihmanli@yahoo.com
Dilege
Ece
E
Demir
Uygar
U
Coskun
Halil
H
Eroglu
Tulay
T
Uysalol
Mehtap D
MD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen