Peritoneal lavage CEA/CA125 is a prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
We recently found an elevation in the pre-operative peritoneal lavage carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level to be associated with an earlier detection of recurrent peritoneal dissemination and a poor prognosis.


METHODS
Two hundred and twenty-nine patients with gastric cancer were intraoperatively measured for tumor markers, CEA and CA125 based on peritoneal lavage using a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay.


RESULTS
The patients were divided into four groups. (A) The peritoneal lavage CEA (-) CA125 (-) group (CEA < 0.4 ng/ml, CA125 < 200 ng/ml, n = 129); (B) the peritoneal lavage CEA (-) CA125 (+) group (CEA < 0.4 ng/ml, CA125 >or= 200 ng/ml, n = 50); (C) the peritoneal lavage CEA (+) CA125 (-) group (CEA >or= 0.4 ng/ml, CA125 < 200 ng/ml, n = 18); and (D) the peritoneal lavage CEA (+) CA125 (+) group (CEA >or= 0.4 ng/ml, CA125 >or= 200 ng/ml, n = 32). The 5-year survival of the patients in groups C and D was 40 and 26%, respectively, which was lower than that of the patients in any other group (group A, B; p < 0.0001). Recurrent sites were both peritoneal dissemination and lymph node/liver in group C, while those were only peritoneal dissemination in group D.


CONCLUSIONS
This combined analysis of these markers is therefore considered to be helpful method to accurately estimate the recurrent sites and prognosis for advanced gastric cancer patients.
Yamamoto
Manabu
M
Department of Surgery, Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital and Atomic Bomb Survivors Hospital, 1-9-6 Senda-machi, Hiroshima 730-8619, Japan. mayama@hiroshima-med.jrc.or.jp
Baba
Hideo
H
Toh
Yasushi
Y
Okamura
Takeshi
T
Maehara
Yoshihiko
Y
D000368:Aged; D001201:Ascites / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010533:Peritoneal Lavage; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen