SERIAL CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN (CEA) DETERMINATIONS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH BREAST-CANCER

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 1  (3) , 151-160
Abstract
Serial CEA [carcinoembryonic antigen] determination were performed in 335 patients with operable breast cancer who received radiotherapy and then were the subjects of a long-term follow-up study. Tumor extension was staged by the surgeon according to the TNM [tumor, node, metastasis] classification. Elevated pretreatment CEA levels (> 10 ng/ml) indicated metastatic spread even when this was not evident from the original TNM classification elevated CEA levels of greater than 4 ng/ml led to a reevaluation of patients; in 20% metastatic spread was found. Therapy was adapted when patients with demonstrable distant spread. Response to treatment was correlated with decreasing CEA levels; increasing CEA levels were generally found when disease progression was observed. During long-term CEA follow-up, 80% of recurrent cancers were signaled by increasing CEA levels. A mean lead time of 4.8 mo. was calculated for the initial CEA increase before clinical confirmation. Slope analysis of the posttreatment CEA time course representing a numerical parameter which was characteristic for osseous and/or liver metastases when values of > 0.5 ng/ml per 10 days were recorded. Soft tissue, lymph node, lung and brain metastases showed generally a slope value of < 0.5 ng/ml per 10 days.