Abstract
We aimed to examine the relationship between carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in the preoperative period and TNM (T: primary tumor, N: lymph node, M: distant metastasis or metastasis) staging in patients with colorectal cancer in our region. In the present study, 752 cases diagnosed with colorectal cancer between January 1992 and December 2010 we analyzed retrospectively. Data of 752 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1992 and 2010 were evaluated; of the 752 patients, 427 (56.8%) were males and 325 (43.2%) were females with the mean age of 56.8±14.9 years. CEA levels of 316 cases were measured; 52.2% of the samples were within normal limits. Cases with CEA ≤5 ng/mL were majorly in Stage III, whereas those with CEA >5 ng/mL were predominantly in Stage IV. The TNM stage, tumor diameter, and differentiation levels were defined, and no statistically significant relationship was detected between these parameters and CEA levels. While the CEA levels of 52.2% of participating cases were within normal limits, there was no statistically significant relationship between the CEA levels and differentiation level of tumor, tumor diameter, and TNM staging. According to the data, CEA levels may be within normal limits in the majority of patients with colorectal cancer. Therefore, normal levels of CEA will not rule out colorectal cancer diagnosis, and it can be concluded that these patients should be investigated in detail.
Highlights
Colorectal cancer is an important cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide [1]
Patients with colorectal cancer were classified as Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, and Stage IV by using this method
Data from 752 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1992 and 2010 were evaluated
Summary
Colorectal cancer is an important cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide [1]. It is the fourth cancer type among women and men, and it ranks second among cancer-related deaths [2]. Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a glycolyzed antigen, which is secreted into the lumen after expression on the apical surface of colonic epithelial cells [3]. It is an oncofetal antigen, and its serum levels are increased at a rate of 75% in colorectal cancer recurrence. Preoperative CEA levels in patients with colorectal cancer may be normal or high, and high CEA levels are reported to be closely related to recurrence and poor prognosis [5]
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