The Significance of Postoperative Serial CEA Levels in Recurrent Colorectal Cancer

The reliability of postoperative CEA testing in the recurrent colorectal cancer was studies using serial CEA determinations for the early detection of the recurrent colorectal cancer. The data was derived 15 patients in my experience. The results were as follows. 1) In the aspect of the relation of CEA levels and the clinucal stages of colorectal cancer, the CEA levels did not correlate well parallel with the Dukes stages of colorectal cancer in this study. 2) The postoperative CEA levels are remarkably reduced 13 out of 15 patients. And 2 patients are slightly increased, which is not significant because they were within normal limit pre- and postoperatively. 3) The CEA levels were elevated remarkably in recurrent cancers. Especially in the patient with liver metastesis, the serum CEA levels were elevated abruptly. And in case with preoperatively high CEA levels, interval to recurrences was shortened.