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Increase in both CEA and CA19-9 in sera is an independent prognostic indicator in colorectal carcinoma.

Nozoe T, Rikimaru T, Mori E, Okuyama T, Takahashi I

Department of Surgery, Fukuoka Higashi Medical Center, Koga, Fukuoka, Japan. ntvb@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) are well known to be the most common tumor markers of colorectal carcinomas. However, the significance of increase in these markers to predict the prognosis of the patients remains a problem for debate. METHODS: One hundred three patients with colorectal carcinoma, who had been treated by resection and reconstruction of digestive tracts were studied. Correlation of preoperative serum value of CEA and CA19-9 with clinicopathologic features including prognosis of the patients was investigated. RESULTS: Preoperative elevation of both of the two markers proved to be an independent prognostic indicator, however, an elevation of only one of the two markers did not obtain a prognostic significance. CONCLUSIONS: Combined data of preoperative increase in CEA and CA19-9 in sera can provide a powerful and useful information to predict prognosis of patients with colorectal carcinoma.

Published 24 July 2006 in J Surg Oncol, 94(2): 132-7.
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