Abstract
To determine if pre-treatment serum carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) levels or changes in CEA values during treatment have prognostic value, we reviewed five prior fluorouracil/leucovorin-based trials and identified 125 colorectal cancer patients with no prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease in whom CEA values were available. Although pre-treatment serum CEA values did not predict for clinical response or time to progression, serial monitoring of CEA appeared to be useful in patients with an elevated pretreatment CEA, particularly when a decrease in CEA occurred in concert with radiographic evidence of disease response. The CEA nadir was a strong prognostic variable with respect to time to disease progression. A consistent rise in CEA values over the minimum value signals the need for radiographic reassessment of the patient's disease status to rule out disease progression.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 559-567 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Oncology reports |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1998 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Carcinoembryonic antigen
- Colon cancer
- Prognostic indicators
- Rectal cancer
- Tumor markers
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
- Cancer Research