Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen Levels Research Articles

Evaluation of the value of combined detection of tumor markers CA724, carcinoembryonic antigen, CA242, and CA19-9 in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer is a global health concern that poses a significant threat to human well-being. AIM To detecting serum changes in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigens (CA) 724, CA242, and CA19-9 expression among patients with gastric cancer. METHODS Eighty patients diagnosed with gastric cancer between January 2020 and January 2023 were included in the observation group, while 80 patients with benign gastric diseases were included in the control group. Both groups were tested for tumor markers (CA724, CEA, CA242, and CA19-9]. Tumor marker indicators (CA724, CEA, CA242, and CA19-9) were compared between the two groups, assessing positive rates of tumor markers across various stages in the observation group. Additionally, single and combined detection of various tumor markers were examined. RESULTS The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value observed for the combined detection of CA724, CEA, CA242, and CA19-9 were higher than those of CA724, CEA, CA242, and CA19-9 individually. Therefore, the combined detection of CA724, CEA, CA242, and CA19-9 has a high diagnostic accuracy and could reduce the occurrence of missed or misdiagnosed cases, facilitating the early diagnosis and treatment of patients. CONCLUSION CA724, CEA, CA242, and CA19-9 serum levels in gastric cancer patients significantly surpassed those in non-gastric cancer patients (P < 0.05). Their combined detection can improve the diagnostic accuracy for gastric cancer, warranting clinical promotion.

The efficacy and safety of continuous intravenous infusion of rh-endostatin combined with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Platinum-based doublet chemotherapy is commonly used in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A growing body of evidence indicates that incorporating antiangiogenic agents into platinum-based chemotherapy may enhance the survival outcomes for NSCLC patients. However, the optimal administration protocol for intravenous recombinant human endostatin (rh-endostatin), an antiangiogenic agent, remains uncertain at present. This study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of 5-d continuous intravenous infusion of rh-endostatin in combination with chemotherapy for patients with advanced NSCLC. The predictive biomarkers for this treatment regimen were further probed. This prospective, single-arm multicenter study enrolled a total of 48 patients with advanced NSCLC who were histologically or cytologically confirmed but had not received any prior treatment from January 2021 to December 2022. Prior to the chemotherapy, these patients received a continuous intravenous infusion of rh-endostatin (210mg) over a period of 120h, using an infusion pump. The chemotherapy regimen included a combination of platinum with either pemetrexed or paclitaxel, given in 21-day cycles. The primary endpoint of the study was median progression-free survival (mPFS), and the secondary endpoints included median overall survival (mOS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and assessment of adverse events (AEs). The mPFS was 6.5 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.8-9.1m) while the mOS was 12.3 months (95% CI: 7.6-18.5m). The ORR and DCR was 52.1% and 75.0%, respectively. Leukopenia (52.1%), anemia (33.3%), and thrombocytopenia (20.8%) were the most common adverse effects and these toxicities were deemed acceptable and manageable. In addition, a correlation was noted between elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and decreased PFS and OS. The incorporation of a 5-day continuous intravenous infusion of rh-endostatin into platinum-based doublet chemotherapy has demonstrated both safety and efficacy in the treatment of advanced NSCLC. Furthermore, the baseline serum levels of CEA may potentially function as a predictor for the efficacy of rh-endostatin when combined with chemotherapy in NSCLC patients. GOV: NCT05574998.

Exploration of the application potential of serum multi-biomarker model in colorectal cancer screening

Analyzing blood lipid and bile acid profile changes in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Evaluating the integrated model's diagnostic significance for CRC. Ninety-one individuals with colorectal cancer (CRC group) and 120 healthy volunteers (HC group) were selected for comparison. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and apolipoproteins (Apo) A1, ApoA2, ApoB, ApoC2, and ApoC3 were measured using immunoturbidimetric and colorimetric methods. Additionally, LC–MS/MS was employed to detect fifteen bile acids in the serum, along with six tumor markers: carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigens (CA) 125, CA19-9, CA242, CA50, and CA72-4. Group comparisons utilized independent sample t-tests and Mann–Whitney U tests. A binary logistic regression algorithm was applied to fit the indicators and establish a screening model; the diagnostic accuracy of individual Indicators and the model was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The CRC group showed significantly lower levels in eight serum lipid indicators and eleven bile acids compared to the HC group (P < 0.05). Conversely, serum levels of TG, CA19-9, and CEA were elevated (P < 0.05). Among the measured parameters, ApoA2 stands out for its strong correlation with the presence of CRC, showcasing exceptional screening efficacy with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.957, a sensitivity of 85.71%, and a specificity of 93.33%. The screening model, integrating ApoA1, ApoA2, lithocholic acid (LCA), and CEA, attained an impressive AUC of 0.995, surpassing the diagnostic accuracy of individual lipids, bile acids, and tumor markers. CRC patients manifest noteworthy alterations in both blood lipids and bile acid profiles. A screening model incorporating ApoA1, ApoA2, LCA, and CEA provides valuable insights for detecting CRC.

Implications of Pretreatment Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen Levels and Perineural Invasion with Staging, Prognosis, and Management in Stage I-III Colon Cancer after Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study in the SEER Database.

Pretreatment levels of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and perineural invasion (PNI) are related to poor prognosis in colon cancer. We analyzed the CEA and PNI (defined as incorporation of carcinoembryonic antigen and perineural invasion (CP)-stage), which are included in the Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging system of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), and evaluated the survival prognosis of patients treated with surgery in I-III stage colon carcinoma. We employed a retrospective study for eligible colon carcinoma patients obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2015. Kaplan-Meier curve and Multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to analyze different TNM-CP stages for the cancer-specific survival (CSS) probabilities in colon cancer. In our study, CEA levels and PNI were significant prognostic factors (p < 0.05), and the newly proposed CP-stage was an independent prognostic index in stage I-III colon carcinoma after surgery. Multivariate Cox regression analyses indicated that CP1-stage was related to a 63.9% increased risk of cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio (HR): 1.639, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.544-1.739, p < 0.001), compared with CP0-stage in colon cancer. In respective TNM stages, the CP0-stage had an advantage over the CP1-stage for CSS (p < 0.001). Moreover, CP1-stage patients with node-negative colon cancer were contacted with similar or worse survival in comparison to CP0-stage patients with node-positive. For postoperative patients with stage I-III colon cancer, our study indicated that the CP stage is a significant prognostic factor for CSS, which deserves more clinical attention. It's worth noting that including the CP stage in the AJCC TNM staging system of colon carcinoma is beneficial to the survival prediction and clinical treatment.

Presence of CD44v9-Expressing Cancer Stem Cells in Circulating Tumor Cells and Effects of Carcinoembryonic Antigen Levels on the Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cancer cells released from the primary tumor into the bloodstream, and contain cancer stem cells that influence tumor survival, recurrence, and metastasis. Here, we investigated CD44v9 expression in CTCs and impact of preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels on colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis. We analyzed the expression of CD44v9 mRNA in CTCs using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and preoperative CEA levels in blood samples obtained from 300 patients with CRC. Subsequently, we evaluated the association of CD44v9 expression and CEA levels with clinicopathological factors. CD44v9 mRNA was expressed in 31.3% of the patients, and was significantly associated with liver metastasis. Patients with positive CD44v9 expression had a lower 5-year survival rate (62.3%) than those with negative CD44v9 expression (82.8%, p < 0.001). Cox regression analysis identified CD44v9 expression and high CEA levels (≥5 ng/mL) as poor prognostic factors, while negative CD44v9 expression and low CEA levels (<5 ng/mL) were associated with favorable prognosis (hazard ratio = 0.285, p = 0.006). These results suggest that a combination of CD44v9 mRNA expression in CTCs and serum CEA levels could serve as a valuable prognostic marker for CRC, potentially enhancing the accuracy of prognosis predictions.

Abstract 1038: Identification of diagnostic biomarkers for colon adenocarcinoma by analyzing proteins in human-derived extracellular vesicles and particles

Abstract There is an unmet medical need for circulating biomarkers to improve early cancer detection in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). We investigated the proteomic profile of extracellular vesicles and particles (EVPs) from the colon tissue explants and plasmas in COAD. The research aims to overcome the limitations of traditional serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) testing and invasive procedures like colonoscopy. We analyzed EVPs sourced from tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues and preoperative and postoperative plasma in COAD patients to identify potential EVP-based tumor diagnostic markers. In the Discovery phase with 50 COAD patients, we conducted a proteomic analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), identifying approximately 50 markers each from tissue explants and plasma. These markers were validated in an independent cohort of 104 participants, including 84 COAD patients and 20 healthy controls. We utilized ELISA to quantify 11 selected EVP proteins. Notably, seven of these proteins exhibited significant differential expression in preoperative and postoperative plasma, highlighting their diagnostic relevance. These seven proteins also showed marked elevation in preoperative plasma compared to healthy controls, reinforcing their potential as diagnostic markers. The study extended to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these seven proteins, referred to as "EV-7 levels", across various stages of COAD. Their performance was compared with serum CEA levels and plasma cfDNA mutation rates, as detected by an FDA-approved liquid biopsy assay. The EV-7 levels demonstrated superior detection rates in the early stages of COAD, particularly in Stages I and II, in contrast to the serum CEA method. Among the 84 patients, 73 (86.9%) exhibited EV-7 levels exceeding the established cut-off. In the validation cohort, EV-7 levels were more accurate across different COAD stages than serum CEA levels and cfDNA mutation rates. CEA levels above 5 ng/ml were 27%, 45%, 42%, and 64% for Stages I through IV. cfDNA somatic mutation rates were 60%, 80%, 75%, and 75%. EV-7 levels exceeding the cut-off were 73%, 100%, 88%, and 84%, respectively, with Stages I and II having the highest detection rate among the three methods. ROC curve analysis for EV-7 levels in Stages I to IV showed statistically significant, with AUC values of 0.913, 1.000, 0.985, and 0.984, respectively. Our findings indicate that the seven EVP proteins are significantly present in the plasma of early-stage COAD patients. Integrating these markers with current diagnostic approaches could improve early cancer detection, showing promise for practical application in clinical settings. Citation Format: Yura Seo, Yoon Dae Han, Linda Bojmar, Kyung-A Kim, Yurin Seo, David Lyden, Han Sang Kim. Identification of diagnostic biomarkers for colon adenocarcinoma by analyzing proteins in human-derived extracellular vesicles and particles [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 1038.

Abstract 6408: Early carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) dynamics to predict the efficacy of fruquintinib (F) + best supportive care (BSC) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) enrolled in FRESCO-2

Abstract Background: The phase 3 FRESCO-2 trial (NCT04322539) demonstrated a significant survival benefit with fruquintinib (F) + BSC vs placebo (P) + BSC as third or later line of therapy for patients (pts) with mCRC. Based on the results of FRESCO-2, F was FDA-approved for adults with previously treated mCRC, irrespective of biomarker status. In mCRC, CEA levels and imaging are routinely used to monitor response to systemic therapy. We investigated early CEA changes during treatment in FRESCO-2 and possible relationships with efficacy. Methods: Pts with abnormal baseline (BL) CEA were included based on local lab reference ranges. Serum CEA levels were measured at BL and Day 1 (D1) of each 28-day cycle (C) except C1. Changes in CEA levels were analyzed at C2D1 and C3D1. CEA response was defined as ≥50% decrease from BL, and CEA progression was defined as ≥100% increase from BL. Tumor evaluation was performed by CT or MRI scan every 2 cycles. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method; hazard ratio (HR) was estimated via Cox proportional hazards model; p-value was generated from log rank test. Results: Overall, 88.3% (407/461) vs 90.4% (208/230) of pts had abnormal BL CEA in F vs P arms; median BL CEA values were similar between treatment arms (Table). At C3D1, the proportion of pts who had a CEA response was significantly higher with F vs P (35.5% vs 3.8%, P &amp;lt;0.001) and the proportion who had CEA progression was significantly lower (5.7% vs 47.2%, P &amp;lt;0.001). Pts in the F arm with CEA response at C3D1 had improved OS and PFS vs pts without CEA response and pts with CEA progression (Table). These results were consistent for pts who had an early CEA response at C2D1 (Table). Conclusion: CEA response at C2D1 and C3D1 could be considered an early predictor for improved OS and PFS. Pts with CEA response seem to benefit from F + BSC compared with pts without response or with CEA progression. Table. CEA changes from baseline in pts in the F + BSC vs P + BSC arms, and OS and PFS based on CEA response in pts in the F + BSC arm CEA changes from baseline by treatment arm (ITT population) F + BSC (N=461) P + BSC (N=230) Baseline, n 407 208 Median CEA (range), µg/L 132.4 (3.0-213000.0) 169.6 (3.2-90010.0) C2D1, n 340 151 Median CEA (range), µg/L 93.3 (2.0-98660.0) 133.5 (2.7-255910.0) Median change from baseline (range), % -19.2 (-90.5-467.8) 44.2 (-61.7-606.8) C3D1, n 245 53 Median CEA (range), µg/L 78.3 (1.7-133390.0) 145.2 (3.9-17782.0) Median change from baseline (range), % -31.0 (-91.4-2195.8) 90.5 (-68.9-3776.6) OS and PFS for pts in the F + BSC arm with or without CEA response at C2D1 and C3D1 Pts with early CEA response at C2D1(n=66) Pts without early CEA response at C2D1 (n=274) Pts with CEA response at C3D1 (n=87) Pts without CEA response at C3D1 (n=158) Median OS, months 10.0 7.4 11.1 8.5 HR (95% CI), P value 0.62 (0.44-0.89), P = 0.009 0.65 (0.46-0.92), P = 0.015 Median PFS, months 5.6 3.7 5.8 4.2 HR (95% CI), P value 0.68 (0.51-0.92), P = 0.01 0.58 (0.44-0.78), P = 0.0003 OS and PFS for pts in the F + BSC arm with CEA response or CEA progression at C2D1 and C3D1 Pts with early CEA response at C2D1(n=66) Pts with early CEA progression at C2D1 (n=15) Pts with CEA response at C3D1 (n=87) Pts with CEA progression at C3D1 (n=14) Median OS, months 10.0 4.3 11.1 5.6 HR (95% CI), P value 0.27 (0.14-0.51), P &amp;lt;0.0001 0.23 (0.12-0.45), P &amp;lt;0.0001 Median PFS, months 5.6 1.9 5.8 3.4 HR (95% CI), P value 0.30 (0.16-0.56), P &amp;lt;0.0001 0.25 (0.13-0.48), P &amp;lt;0.0001 Citation Format: Sara Lonardi, Arvind Dasari, Rocio Garcia-Carbonero, Takayuki Yoshino, Pilar García-Alfonso, Judit Kocsis, Chiara Cremolini, François Ghiringhelli, Ardaman Shergill, Howard S Hochster, Michel Ducreux, Dirk Arnold, Varsha Sundaresan, Siddha Kasar, Adela Pina, Ziji Yu, William R Schelman, Lucy Chen, Josep Tabernero. Early carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) dynamics to predict the efficacy of fruquintinib (F) + best supportive care (BSC) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) enrolled in FRESCO-2 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 6408.

Combined detection of serum IL-6 and CEA contributes to the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma in situ.

Effective discrimination of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) in situ (AIS) from benign pulmonary nodules (BPN) is critical for the early diagnosis of AIS. Our pilot study in a small cohort of 90 serum samples has shown that serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) detection can distinguish AIS from BPN and health controls (HC). In this study, we intend to comprehensively define the diagnostic value of individual and combined detection of serum IL-6 related to the traditional tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) for AIS. The diagnostic performance of serum IL-6 along with CEA and CYFRA21-1 were evaluated in a large cohort of 300 serum samples by a chemiluminescence immunoassay and an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. A training set comprised of 65 AIS, 65 BPN, and 65 HC samples was used to develop the predictive model for AIS. Data obtained from an independent validation set was applied to evaluate and validate the predictive model. In the training set, the levels of serum IL-6 and CEA in the AIS group were significantly higher than those in the BPN/HC group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in serum CYFRA21-1 levels between the AIS group and the BPN/HC group (P> 0.05). Serum IL-6 and CEA levels for AIS patients showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.622 with 23.1% sensitivity at 90.7% specificity, and an AUC of 0.672 with 24.6% sensitivity at 97.6% specificity, respectively. The combination of serum IL-6 and CEA presented an AUC of 0.739, with 60.0% sensitivity at 95.4% specificity. The combination of serum IL-6 and CEA showed an AUC of 0.767 for AIS patients, with 57.1% sensitivity at 91.4% specificity in the validation set. IL-6 shows potential as a prospective serum biomarker for the diagnosis of AIS, and the combination of serum IL-6 with CEA may contribute to increased accuracy in AIS diagnosis. However, it is worth noting that further research is still necessary to validate and optimize the diagnostic efficacy of these biomarkers and to address potential sensitivity limitations.

Impact of Micronutrient Profiles on the Pathological Features and Clinical Outcomes of Colorectal Tumors with Microsatellite Instability

We assessed the role of nutritional factors in conjunction with pathological and clinical characteristics of colorectal tumors with microsatellite instability. Data from 1,135 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer were analyzed, employing immunohistochemistry for mismatch repair protein detection and polymerase chain reaction-capillary electrophoresis for microsatellite instability gene detection. To explore potential correlations with microsatellite instability status, we evaluated patients’ dietary habits and micronutrient levels, particularly folate and selenium. We discovered that 10.84% of the patients had mismatch repair protein deletions, with MLH1 and PMS2 double deletions being the most prevalent. Notable differences were identified in serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels, tumor location, tumor-node-metastasis stage, tumor differentiation, mucous composition, gross type, size, nodules, nerve invasion, and lymph node ratio between deficient mismatch repair and proficient mismatch repair patients. The deficient mismatch repair group had lower carcinoembryonic antigen levels, a higher incidence of right-sided colon cancer, earlier tumor-node-metastasis stage, poorer differentiation, more mucinous components, larger tumors, and fewer nodules and nerve invasions. High concordance (98.59%) was observed between immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction-capillary electrophoresis techniques in microsatellite instability detection, underscoring the reliability of these methods. Integrating the nutritional parameters with conventional clinical assessments offers a nuanced understanding of the heterogeneity of colorectal cancer, with significant implications for diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Observations of the effectiveness, dosage, and prognosis of intensity-modulated radiation therapy under ultrasonic guidance for cervical cancer patients.

Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) guided by ultrasound is a novel radiation therapy technique that facilitates the delineation of the tumor target area under image guidance, enhancing the precision of radiation therapy and maximizing the protection of surrounding tissues. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of VMAT under ultrasonic guidance for cervical cancer patients and its impact on radiotherapy dosage and prognosis. A retrospective analysis encompassed 128 instances of cervical cancer patients who were admitted to our medical facility between April 2019 and April 2021. The patients were categorized into an observation cohort and a control cohort, depending on variations in treatment modalities post-admission. The control group underwent conventional radiotherapy, whereas the observation group received VMAT guided by ultrasound. Clinical efficacy, average radiation dosages (in the radiotherapy target area, rectum, and bladder), radiotherapy-related toxicities during treatment, and one-year survival rates were compared between the two groups. Additionally, variances in pre- and post-treatment serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and carbohydrate antigen 724 (CA724) were subjected to assessment. When compared to the control group (64.52%), the observation cohort's comprehensive effectiveness rate was considerably greater (80.30%). The observation group saw lower average radiation exposures and a reduction in the post-treatment concentrations of CEA, SCC-Ag, and CA724. The overall incidence of adverse effects from radiation treatment also declined. The observation group had a greater one-year survival rate (90.48%) than the control group (73.33%). When comparing the observation cohort to the control group, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a significantly higher one-year survival rate (Log-Rank = 6.530, P= 0.011). VMAT guided by ultrasound for patients with cervical cancer demonstrates promising short- and long-term treatment outcomes. It also leads to improvements in serum CEA, SCC-Ag, and CA724 levels, as well as reductions in the average radiation dosages to the radiotherapy target area, rectum, and bladder. This approach warrants attention from clinicians in clinical practice.

[Ultrasonographic features of thyroid carcinoma of different sizes: comparison between medullary thyroid carcinomas and papillary thyroid carcinomas].

Objective: To investigate the ultrasonographic features of medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTCs) of different sizes and supply valid information for separating MTCs from papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs). Methods: There were 87 patients with MTC and 220 patients with PTC detected by ultrasonography and confirmed by pathology at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from June 2018 to March 2022. Nodules were divided into the large nodule group (the maximum diameter of the tumor was＞1 cm) and the small nodule group (the maximum diameter of the tumor was ≤1 cm). There were 97 cases in the small nodule group, including 28 cases of MTC and 69 cases of PTC. There were 210 cases in the large nodule group, including 59 cases of MTC and 151 cases of PTC. After stratification by thyroid nodules, ultrasonographic features of thyroid nodules and metastatic lymph nodes, preoperative serum calcitonin (CT) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were compared between MTC and PTC patients. Results: In the small nodule group, the proportion of MTCs exhibiting hypoecho, smooth margins, and having blood flow signals was higher than that of PTCs, with statistically significant differences (all P＜0.05). In the large nodule group, the proportion of MTCs showing cystic solidity, hypoecho, smooth margins, blood flow, and the type Ⅳvascular distribution was higher than PTCs, and the difference of calcification type between them was also statistically significant (all P＜0.05). In contrast, the differences in the number of lesions and aspect ratio between MTCs and PTCs were not statistically significant regardless of nodule size (all P＞0.05). In the small nodule group,6 metastatic lymph nodes of medullary thyroid carcinoma (LNM-MTC) and 11 metastatic lymph nodes of papillary thyroid carcinoma (LNM-PTC) were correctly diagnosed by ultrasound, respectively. The diagnostic compliance rate of ultrasound was 78.6% (22/28) and 78.3% (54/69), respectively, with no statistically significant difference (P=0.973). In the large nodule group, 28 LNM-MTC and 11 LNM-PTC were correctly diagnosed by ultrasound, respectively. The diagnostic compliance of ultrasound was 88.1% (52/59) and 73.5% (111/151), respectively, which was statistically significant (P=0.022). Among them, 82.1% of LNM-MTC and 56.6% of LNM-PTC showed abnormal blood flow signals, with a statistically significant difference (P=0.016). There were significant differences in preoperative serum CT and CEA levels of different sizes of MTCs (all P＜0.05). Conclusions: Different sizes of MTCs require diverse demonstrative criteria. Abnormal blood flow signal is of great significance in the diagnosis of LNM-MTC. Within the absence of ultrasonic characteristics, preoperative serum CT test can provide confidence for the diagnosis of MTC.

Serum tumor markers expression (CA199, CA242, and CEA) and its clinical implications in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Glucose and lipid metabolic disorder in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with the levels of serum tumor markers of the digestive tract, such as cancer antigen (CA)199. Therefore, tumor markers in T2DM are important. To evaluate the expression of serum tumor markers [CA199, CA242, and car-cinoembryonic antigen (CEA)] and the clinical implications of the expression in T2DM. For this observational study conducted at Hefei BOE Hospital, China, we enrolled 82 patients with first-onset T2DM and 51 controls between April 2019 and December 2020. Levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), tumor markers (CA199, CEA, and CA242), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), etc. were measured and group index levels were compared. Moreover, FBG and HbA1c levels were correlated with tumor marker levels. Tumor markers were tested for diagnostic accuracy in patients with > 9% HbA1c using the receiver operating curve (ROC) curve. The T2DM group had high serum FBG, HbA1c, CA199, and CEA levels (P < 0.05). A comparative analysis of the two groups based on HbA1c levels (Group A: HbA1c ≤ 9%; Group B: HbA1c > 9%) revealed significant differences in CEA and CA199 levels (P < 0.05). The areas under the ROC curve for CEA and CA199 were 0.853 and 0.809, respectively. CA199, CEA, and CA242 levels positively correlated with HbA1c (r = 0.308, 0.426, and 0.551, respectively) and FBG levels (r = 0.236, 0.231, and 0.298, respectively). As compared to controls, serum CEA and CA199 levels were higher in patients with T2DM. HbA1c and FBG levels correlated with CA199, CEA, and CA242 levels. Patients with poorly controlled blood sugar must be screened for tumor markers.

Clinical impact of pleural fluid carcinoembryonic antigen on therapeutic strategy and efficacy in lung adenocarcinoma patients with malignant pleural effusion.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation is important in determining the treatment strategy for advanced lung cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Contrary to serum carcinoembryonic antigen (S-CEA) levels, the associations between pleural fluid CEA (PF-CEA) levels and EGFR mutation status as well as between PF-CEA levels and treatment efficacy have rarely been investigated in lung adenocarcinoma patients with MPE. This retrospective study enrolled lung adenocarcinoma patients with MPE and available PF-CEA levels and EGFR mutation results. The patients were categorized based on PF-CEA levels: < 10 ng/mL, 10-100 ng/mL, 100-500 ng/mL, and ≥ 500 ng/mL. The association between PF-CEA levels and EGFR mutation status as well as their therapeutic impact on overall survival was compared among the four groups. This study included 188 patients. PF-CEA level was found to be an independent predictor of EGFR mutation but not S-CEA level. The EGFR mutation rates were higher as the PF-CEA levels increased, regardless of cytology results or sample types. Among EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma patients receiving EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment, those with high PF-CEA levels had significantly better survival outcomes than those with low PF-CEA levels. High PF-CEA levels were associated with high EGFR mutation rate and may lead to a favorable clinical outcome of EGFR-TKI treatment in EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma patients with MPE. These findings highlight the importance of actively investigating EGFR mutation detection in patients with suspected MPE and elevated PF-CEA levels despite negative cytology results.

Tumor and metastatic lymph nodes metabolic activity on 18F-FDG-PET/CT to predict progression-free survival in locally advanced cervical cancer.

The present study investigated the predictive diseases progression value of preoperative fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with local advanced cervical cancer (LACC). In total, 267 patients [median age 58 (range: 27-85) years old] with LACC underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT prior to any treatment. The maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) of the primary lesion and metastatic lymph nodes were measured on PET/CT and correlated with clinicopathological features and progression-free survival (PFS). The median follow-up was 36.52 (range: 3.09-61.29) months. During the observation period, 80 (30.0%) patients exhibited disease progression. Univariate analysis showed that FIGO stage, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT), serum level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag), primary tumor MTV (pMTV) and TLG (pTLG), lymph nodes SUVmax (nSUVmax) and TLG (nTLG), and total metabolic activity (sMTV, sTLG) were associated with PFS. nSUVmax ≥ 5.29, CEA ≥ 7.11ng/ml and deficiency of concurrent CRT were independent risk factor for PFS (p = 0.006, p = 0.008, p = 0.014). The 3-year PFS for patients with high nSUVmax were 42.2% compared to 56.3% for low nSUVmax values. Pretreatment cervical and lymph nodes metabolic parameters were associated with PFS in patients with LACC.

Prognostic significance of serum tumor markers in various pathologic subtypes of gastric cancer

PurposeThis study aimed to assess the utility of 6 serum tumor markers in prognosis between gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC). MethodsA cohort of 3131 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma and 275 cases of gastric SRCC was assembled. The serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), carbohydrate antigen 125, alpha fetoprotein (AFP), carbohydrate antigen 242 (CA242), and carbohydrate antigen 724 (CA724) were measured in all cases. The study analyzed the association between the levels of these 6 tumor markers and the prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma and SRCC. ResultsThe study revealed that gastric SRCC exhibited lower concentrations of CEA (P < .001) and CA19-9 (P = .002), along with reduced positive rates of CEA (P = .041), CA19-9 (P = .003), AFP (P < .001), and CA242 (P = .006), while displaying higher positive rates of CA724 (P = .024) than gastric adenocarcinoma. Nevertheless, the receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated that serum tumor markers did not hold clinical significance in differentiating between gastric adenocarcinoma and SRCC. Survival analysis substantiated that the combined criteria of serum tumor markers stood as an independent risk factor for both gastric adenocarcinoma and SRCC. Notably, the nomogram indicated that serum tumor markers exerted a more substantial influence on the prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma than on gastric SRCC. ConclusionThe study concluded that the combined criteria of serum tumor markers emerge as independent risk factors for both subtypes of gastric cancer. Furthermore, this combined approach exhibited enhanced efficacy in prognosticating the outcome of gastric adenocarcinoma compared with gastric SRCC.

Is there any diagnostic value of serum caveolin-1 levels on the determination of pancreatic adenocarcinoma?

Caveolin-1 (CAV-1) is a vital component in cancer pathogenesis, as its expression determines the survival of patients with cancer. This study investigates CAV-1 serum levels in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) patients and their role in tumor progression and prognostic factors. The trial included 33 patients with pathologically confirmed pancreatic cancer (PC). The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to measure the concentrations of CAV-1 in the blood. The study also included 20 healthy subjects. The statistical analysis was two-sided, and a P value of ≤ 0.05 was determined as statistically significant. The median age of the subjects was 59 years (32-84 years) at the time of diagnosis. There were 13 (39%) female participants. In 21 (63%) patients, the primary focus was the pancreatic head. In 23 stage IV patients, hepatic metastasis (n = 19, 83%) was observed. Only one patient (3%) was still alive at the end of the study period. Palliative chemotherapy (CTx) was provided, with 39% of the 23 patients responding to it. The overall survival (OS) rate in this cohort was 41.3 ± 8.3 weeks at a 95% confidence interval (CI), after 25-58 weeks. Serum baseline CAV-1 values among patients with PA were significantly higher compared with controls (p = 0.009). Patients with poor performance status, a pancreatic head tumor, lower albumin levels, higher serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, and higher CA 19.9 levels had significantly higher serum CAV-1 levels (p = 0.01, P = 0.05, P = 0.03, P = 0.02, and P = 0.04, respectively). However, CAV-1 did not show any prognostic value (p = 0.75). Although serum CAV-1 is a useful diagnostic marker in PC patients, it is not a prognostic or predictive marker.

Refining first-line treatment decision in RAS wildtype (RAS-WT) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) by combining clinical biomarkers: Results of the randomized phase 3 trial FIRE-3 (AIO KRK0306).

13 Background: Optimal patient selection for first-line treatment targeting epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) in RAS-WT mCRC is based on primary tumor sidedness (PTS) with anti-EGFR being the preferred option for patients with left-sided mCRC (LC). Right-sided mCRCs (RC) are preferentially treated in combination with bevacizumab targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Here, improvement in patient selection was evaluated by combining clinical biomarkers beyond PTS using the randomized phase III trial FIRE-3. Methods: FIRE-3 evaluated first-line FOLFIRI (folinic acid, fluorouracil and irinotecan) plus cetuximab (FOLFIRI/Cet) versus FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab (FOLFIRI/Bev) in patients with RAS-WT mCRC. Besides PTS, further clinical biomarkers were evaluated in pairwise combinations using Cox regression models and model-based recursive partitioning with Weibull models to predict treatment benefit of either treatment arm regarding overall survival (OS): age, sex, liver-limited disease status (LLD) and baseline carcinoembryonic antigen serum level (CEA). The resulting P-values of second-order interactions were adjusted using Holm-Bonferroni correction. The model with the best test statistics and P-value was chosen for further evaluations. Results: In 400 patients with RAS-WT mCRC, a model combining PTS and LLD status best predicted treatment outcome of either treatment arm (c-index = 0.603, p=0.005). Here, a significant survival benefit of FOLFIRI/Cet over FOLFIRI/Bev was evident in patients with LC/non-LLD (HR 0.62, p=0.02) compared to LC/LLD (HR 0.83, p=0.40). In patients with RC, FOLFIRI/Bev was significantly associated with increased OS compared to FOLFIRI/Cet when patients suffered from non-LLD (HR 2.09, p=0.010). However, patients with RC/LLD rather had a benefit from FOLFIRI/Cet compared to FOLFIRI/Bev (HR 0.59, p=0.218). Conclusions: Combining clinical biomarkers PTS and LLD status might improve optimal patient selection for targeted first-line treatment in RAS-WT mCRC. Validation in further data sets is warranted. Clinical trial information: NCT00433927 .

Risk factors for early recurrence after radical gastrectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for stage II or III gastric cancer: a multicenter, retrospective study.

Radical gastrectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy is the standard treatment for stage II or III gastric cancer in Asian countries. Early recurrence during or after adjuvant chemotherapy is associated with poor prognosis; however, risk factors for early recurrence remain unclear. In this multicenter, retrospective cohort study including six institutions, we evaluated the clinicopathological factors of 553 patients with gastric cancer undergoing gastrectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy between 2012 and 2016. Patients were divided into the following groups: early recurrence (recurrence during adjuvant chemotherapy or within 6months after adjuvant chemotherapy completion) and non-early recurrence, which was further divided into late recurrence and no recurrence. Early-recurrence risk factors were investigated using multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. The chronological changes in the recurrence hazard were also examined for each factor. Early recurrence and late recurrence occurred in 83 (15.0%) and 73 (13.2%) patients, respectively. Based on the Cox proportional hazards model, a postoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen level of ≥5ng/mL (hazard ratio: 2.220, 95% confidence interval: 1.089-4.526) and a neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio of >1.8 (hazard ratio: 2.408, 95% confidence interval: 1.479-3.92) were identified as independent risk factors of early recurrence, but not late recurrence. The recurrence hazard ratios for neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio significantly decreased over time (P<0.001) and carcinoembryonic antigen also had the same tendency (P=0.08). A carcinoembryonic antigen level of ≥5ng/mL and a neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio of >1.8 are predictors of early recurrence after radical gastrectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy for stage II or III gastric cancer.

The impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the clinical efficacy and serum tumor marker levels in patients undergoing radical surgery for gastric cancer.

The objective of this article is to study the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on the clinical efficacy and serum tumor marker levels in patients undergoing radical surgery for gastric cancer (GC). Thirty patients who underwent routine radical surgery for GC in our hospital from January 2020 to June 2021 were included in the control group. Thirty patients who underwent radical surgery for GC after receiving NAC from July 2021 to December 2022 were included in the observation group. The treatment outcomes of the observation group were assessed and analyzed. The surgical indicators, tumor markers, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), and occurrence of adverse reactions were compared between the 2 groups. Comparisons were made between the 2 groups in terms of surgical duration, number of lymph node dissections, intraoperative blood loss, time to postoperative ambulation, length of hospital stay, and time to postoperative passage of flatus (P > .05). The observation group had a higher proportion of R0 resection at the surgical margin compared to the control group (P < .05). The serum tumor markers of the 2 groups were compared before treatment (P > .05). After treatment, the levels of serum carcinoembryonic antigen, alpha-fetoprotein, cancer antigen 125, and carbohydrate antigen 72-4 decreased in both groups, and the observation group showed a greater reduction in these tumor marker levels compared to the control group (P < .05). The KPS scores of the 2 groups were compared before treatment (P > .05). After treatment, the KPS scores increased in both groups, with the observation group showing a higher improvement compared to the control group (P < .05). The overall incidence of adverse reactions, including incision infection, pleural effusion, pulmonary infection, intestinal obstruction, and gastric emptying disorders, was lower in the observation group (6.67%) compared to the control group (26.67%) (P < .05). The combination of NAC with radical surgery for GC is safe and feasible. It can significantly increase the R0 resection rate, effectively improve the levels of serum tumor markers, enhance patient's quality of life, and result in fewer surgical adverse reactions.

Optimal treatment strategy and prognostic analysis for patients with non-metastatic pT4 colon adenocarcinoma.

This study endeavored to explore the optimal treatment strategy and conduct a prognostic analysis for patients diagnosed with pT4M0 (pathologic stage T4) colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). A total of 8,843 patients diagnosed with pT4M0 COAD between January 2010 and December 2015 were included in this study from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. These patients were randomly divided into a training set and an internal validation set using a 7:3 ratio. Variables that demonstrated statistical significance (P<0.05) in univariate COX regression analysis or held clinical significance were incorporated into the multivariate COX regression model. Subsequently, this model was utilized to formulate a nomogram. The predictive accuracy and discriminability of the nomogram were assessed using the C-index, area under the curve (AUC), and calibration curves. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was conducted to confirm the clinical validity of the model. In the entire SEER cohort, the 3-year overall survival (OS) rate (74.22% vs. 63.20%, P<0.001) and the 3-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate (76.25% vs. 66.98%, P<0.001) in the surgery combined with postoperative adjuvant therapy (S+ADT) group surpassed those in the surgery (S) group. Multivariate COX regression analysis of the training set unveiled correlations between age, race, N stage, serum CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), differentiation, number of resected lymph nodes, and treatment modalities with OS and CSS. Nomograms for OS and CSS were meticulously crafted based on these variables, achieving C-indexes of 0.692 and 0.690 in the training set, respectively. The robust predictive ability of the nomogram was further affirmed through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration curves in both the training and validation sets. In individuals diagnosed with pT4M0 COAD, the integration of surgery with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy demonstrated a substantial extension of long-term survival. The nomogram, which incorporated key factors such as age, race, differentiation, N stage, serum CEA level, tumor size, and the number of resected lymph nodes, stood as a dependable tool for predicting OS and CSS rates. This predictive model held promise in aiding clinicians by identifying high-risk patients and facilitating the development of personalized treatment plans.