STUDY ON THE RELATION BETWEEN CARCINO-EMBRYONIC ANTIGEN LEVEL AND THE CLINICOPATHOLOGIC FEATURES IN COLORECTAL CARCINOMA

Abstract

Background: We examined the clinicopathologic features and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels of the colorectal carcinoma patients at Hue University Hospital and Hue Central Hospital. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between the pre-operative CEA levels from the post-operative CEA level and the clinicopathologic features in colorectal carcinomas. Materials and methods: From May 2011 to April 2012, samples were collected from 87 colorectal carcinoma patients. The pre-operative and post-operative samples from peripheral blood of the patients were collected to quantity of CEA level by sandwich principle. Results: Most patients were among the age of ≥70; 36.8% of cases. The medium age at presentation was 61.2±15,2. 36.8% (n=32) of the carcinomas were located in rectum and 19.5% in sigmoid colon. The great majority of cases were non-mucinous adenocarcinoma (90.8%). 48,1% of cases with pre-operative CEA level were higher normal level. The medium level of pre-operative CEA was 11.2±16.8 ng/l. Dukes B, C and D classification were 85.1%; 5.7% and 9.2% of cases, respectively. Compared with the pre-operative CEA level, post-operative CEA level was reduced (r = 0.604; p = 0.002). Conclusions: We found that there was a significant relation between pre-operative CEA level from post-operative CEA level (p<0.05), tumor location (p<0.05) and Dukes classification (p<0.05). Key words: CEA, colorectal carcinoma, clinicopathology