title: Serum CEA level change and its significance before and after Gefitinib therapy on patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to explore change and significance of serum carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) before and after gefitinib therapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with advanced NSCLCs in III~IV stages were selected as study objects given gefitinib therapy combined with routine local radiotherapy until tumor progression or intolerable toxicity. After treatment, all patients were divided into control and non-control groups according to the results of evaluation based on RECIST 1.1 (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors in 2009). Peripheral fasting blood from all patients was collected in the early morning and serum CEA was assessed by electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) before and after treatment. Before treatment, patients were divided into high CEA group (CEA level > 50 ng/mL) and low CEA group (CEA level ≤ 50 ng/mL). Adverse reactions were noted and progression-free survival (PFS) in both groups was recorded after long-term follow-up that ended in December, 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference between control and non-control groups in CEA level before treatment (P>0.05), whereas serum CEA decreased more markedly lower in the control group after treatment (P<0.01). All patients were divided into high CEA group (26) and low CEA group (14) according to serum CEA level. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups in adverse reactions (P>0.05) but the rate in former group was lower. Additionally, survival rates at 9 and 12 months in high CEA group were clearly higher than in the low CEA group (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum CEA level can serve as a biochemical index to evaluate the prognosis with gefitinib treatment for NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Neoplasms Internal Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Academy of Military Medical Science, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Li-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Sha-Sha
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077156:Gefitinib