The usefulness of CEA as an indicator for early detection and a guide to the treatment of recurrent gastric cancer

The usefulness of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as an indicator for recurrence and a guide to the treatment was evaluated from a retrospective analysis of 88 patients with recurrent gastric cancer. Sixty-two of these patients (70.5 per cent), 25 of whom had a preoperative positive assay, and 37 a negative assay, had elevated levels of CEA after disease progression. Averaged CEA level in patients with liver metastasis was significantly higher (872 ng/ml) than in those with peritoneal metastasis (68 ng/ml), with lymph node metastasis (103 ng/ml) or with local metastasis (93 ng/ml) (p less than 0.01). An elevation of CEA was found prior to the clinical manifestation of recurrence, and the average lead time was 4 months. In 25 patients with a lead time of more than 4 months, survival time after CEA elevation was 13.3 months, which was longer than the 6.5 months of 28 patients with less than 4 months. Thirty-seven of the 88 patients were treated after recurrence. The average survival period after the detection of recurrence was 9.4 months in patients with surgical treatments followed by chemotherapy, 5.9 months in those with chemotherapy alone and 3.8 months in those with surgery alone. The average survival period of 26 patients with positive CEA assays in recurrence was 5.1 months longer than of patients with negative assays. This fact suggested that early detection of recurrence followed by various treatments, in the elevated CEA group, contributes to favorable results.     

Serial determinations of carcinoembryonic antigen for early detection of recurrent gastric cancer

In attempts to predict the recurrence of gastric cancer, postoperative changes in serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels are monitored in our clinic by radioimmunoassay (Dainabot, Japan). Recurrences are suspected when serum CEA levels are 4 ng/ml, in the postoperative period. Out of 34 patients in whom there were increases in serum CEA, 18 were confirmed to have a recurrence and 15 of these 18 patients were assessed accurately by serial postoperative levels of CEA, two patients died of a recurrence after elevation of serum CEA levels. Thus, recurrence was predicted in 17 out of 34 patients (50 per cent) and in 12 out of 17 patients there was a metastasis to the liver. In 14 out of 34 patients there are no signs of recurrence 9 to 25 months after serum CEA elevations.     

Preoperative Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen Level as a Predictive Factor of Recurrence After Curative Resection of Colorectal Cancer

Background  We evaluated the prognostic value of the preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients and Methods  The study group comprised 638 patients. The optimal cutoff value for the preoperative serum CEA level was determined. Predictive factors of recurrence were evaluated using multivariate analyses. The relapse-free time was investigated according to the CEA level. Results  All patients underwent potentially curative resection for CRC without distant metastasis, classified as stage I, II, or III. The optimal cutoff value for preoperative serum CEA level was 10 ng/ml. Elevated preoperative serum CEA level was observed in 92 patients. Multivariate analysis identified tumor–node–metastasis (TNM) stage and preoperative serum CEA level as independent predictive factors of recurrence. The relapse-free survival between CEA levels >10 ng/ml and <10 ng/ml significantly differed in patients with stage II and III. However, there was no significant difference in relapse-free survival between CEA levels >10 ng/ml and <10 ng/ml in patients with stage I. Conclusion  Preoperative serum CEA is a reliable predictive factor of recurrence after curative surgery in CRC patients and a useful indicator of the optimal treatment after resection, particularly for cases classified as stage II or stage III.     

Key role of the CEA test in the diagnosis and surgical therapy of recurrent colorectal cancer

Between 1978 and 1984, 87 patients with recurrent colorectal cancer have been operated upon. In 10 of 35 patients with locoregional recurrence and 24 of 52 with distant metastases therapy was potentially curative. Of 87 patients 73 had elevated CEA levels (greater than or equal to 5 ng/ml) at the time of diagnosis. In 65 of 73 patients the CEA increase preceded the recognition of recurrence and in 14 patients the diagnosis could be confirmed only by a second-look operation. Patients with metastases (91.3%) showed CEA elevation more often than those with locoregional recurrence (71.4%). Patients with operable disease had significantly (p less than 0.05) lower CEA values (median 19.7 ng/ml) than those with inoperable recurrent carcinomas (median 36.9 ng/ml).     

Patients with high risk of hematogenous metastasis and recurrence in colorectal cancer: correlation with histopathologic variables and tumor markers, CEA and CA19-9, in peripheral and draining venous blood

Correlations of hematogenous metastasis with histopathologic variables, preoperative CEA and CA19-9 levels in peripheral (p) venous blood, and those in draining (d) venous blood were examined in 78 patients with colorectal cancer. Out of 10 histopathologic variables, location of venous invasion was most significantly correlated with hematogenous recurrence: the rate (11%) of v0 and/or sm-pm v(+) in 50 patients without the recurrence was significantly lower than that (89%) in 28 patients with the recurrence. On the other hand, the rate (68%) of ss-extra(+) in the latter was significantly higher than that (32%) of the former. The mean values (6 and 14 ng/ml) and positive rates (22 and 48%) greater than 5 ng/ml of p and d-CEA in 50 patients without the recurrence were significantly lower than those (14 and 189 ng/ml, 48 and 96%) in 28 patients with the recurrence. Patients with d-p CEA gradient greater than 5 ng/ml were found, respectively, in 34% of the former and 82% in the latter. The mean value (982 U/l) and positive rate (94%) greater than 37 U/ml of CA19-9 in peripheral blood of 28 patients with the recurrence were significantly higher than those (25 U/ml and 11%) of 50 patients without the recurrence. These results suggest that colorectal cancer patients with high risk of hematogenous metastasis and recurrence are the patients with ss-extra(+), the values of d-CEA, especially d-p CEA gradient, greater than 5 ng/ml and with p-CA19-9 value greater than 37 U/ml.     

Management of intrahepatic recurrence after curative treatment of colorectal liver metastases

BACKGROUND: Management of intrahepatic recurrence after complete surgical treatment for colorectal liver metastases is not well defined. The aim of this study was to analyse the survival results of patients who had repeat liver resection for intrahepatic recurrence and to evaluate prognostic indicators for survival. METHODS: Between 1991 and 2005, 55 patients had repeat liver resection for isolated intrahepatic recurrence. The long-term survival results were assessed. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to identify prognostic indicators for survival after repeat hepatectomy. RESULTS: The median survival was 53 (range 2-97) months and the 5-year survival rate was 49 per cent. In univariable analysis, size of largest initial liver metastasis, margin of initial liver surgery, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level before and after initial liver surgery, liver disease-free survival, margin of repeat liver surgery, operation type of repeat surgery and CEA level before and after repeat surgery were significant prognostic factors. In multivariable analysis, largest initial liver metastasis 4 cm or less and CEA level 5 ng/ml or less after repeat liver surgery were independently associated with improved survival. CONCLUSION: Repeat hepatectomy can achieve an acceptable survival in selected patients with isolated intrahepatic recurrence.     

Prognostic value of carcinoembryonic antigen and CYFRA21-1 in patients with pathological stage I non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the prognostic value of serum tumor markers (carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CYFRA21-1) in patients with pathologic (p-) stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing complete resection. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy-five patients (163 males, 112 females, mean age 67.1 years) with p-stage I NSCLC who underwent complete resection at our institution between April 1999 and October 2004 were examined. Patients who had received preoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy were excluded, as were patients who had multiple malignancies including multiple lung cancer. The serum levels of tumor markers were measured using commercially available immunoassays within 1 month before surgical resection. Serum levels of CEA and CYFRA21-1 higher than 5.0 and 2.8 ng/ml, respectively, were considered as positive according to the manufacture's instructions. RESULTS: The histological classification was adenocarcinoma in 193 patients, squamous cell carcinoma in 71, large cell carcinoma in 5, and other histological type in 6. One hundred and fifty-seven patients had T1 disease and 118 patients had T2 disease. The positive ratio of CEA and CYFRA21-1 was 25.7% and 13.7%, respectively, and in relation to histological type was 27.8% and 7.8% in adenocarcinoma, and 20.6% and 28.4% in squamous cell carcinoma. The overall 5-year survival rate was 79.3%. With a median follow-up of 35.5 month for surviving patients, those with initial CYFRA21-1 serum levels higher than 2.8 ng/ml had a significantly worse prognosis (p=0.0041). Patients with an elevated preoperative CEA level exceeding 5.0 ng/ml had a shorter disease-free survival period (p=0.0003). In patients with adenocarcinoma, a CEA level above 5.0 ng/ml was associated with shorter survival and early recurrence, whereas CYFRA21-1 showed no such association. In patients with squamous cell carcinoma, elevated preoperative CEA was not related to survival and recurrence. In these patients, preoperative CYFRA21-1 level exceeding 2.8 ng/ml was associated with a poorer outcome, whereas preoperative CYFRA21-1 level was not associated with cancer recurrence. CONCLUSION: The patients with p-stage I adenocarcinoma whose preoperative CEA level was high might be considered as good candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy. The prognostic value of CYFRA21-1 could not be confirmed for stage I NSCLC, and preoperative CYFRA21-1 level was not useful in selecting the candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy.     

CEA levels of draining venous blood and draining-peripheral CEA gradient in colorectal cancer patients: correlation with postoperative survival

Correlation between preoperative CEA levels in draining venous blood (d CEA) and draining-peripheral (d-p) CEA gradient, and postoperative survival of 94 patients with colorectal cancer patients was examined. The positive rates of d CEA and d-p CEA gradient greater than 5 ng/ml (55.9% and 37.2%) in 59 alive patients were significantly (p less than 0.05) lower than those (77.1% and 57.1%) in 35 patients died of cancer recurrence within 4 years. Survival curve of the patients with positive d CEA and d-p CEA gradient were significantly (p less than 0.01) lower than those of the patients with negative d CEA and d-p CEA gradient. Survival curve of the patients with d-p CEA gradient greater than 10 ng/ml was significantly (p less than 0.001) lower than that of the gradient less than 10 ng/ml, and 4-year survival rates were 37.5% in the former patients and 68.3% in the latter patients. These results suggest that d CEA and d-p CEA gradient may be used as prognostic indicators of colorectal cancer patients. Clinically, the patients with positive d-p CEA gradient greater than 10 ng/ml are necessary to be treated as patients having very poor prognosis.     

Use of CEA as an Indicator of Early Recurrence and as a Guide to a Selected Second-look Procedure in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

The usefulness of the CEA as an indicator of recurrence and a guide to selected second-look surgery was evaluated from a retrospective analysis of 358 patients with colorectal cancer and from a prospective experience with 16 patients all of whom had been admitted for second-look surgery because of postoperative elevations of CEA only. Our previous experience had shown that after curative resection the CEA usually returned to normal levels (less than 5 ng/ml) within one month, but became elevated at time of clinically obvious recurrence being very high in patients with liver metastases, but only moderately elevated or normal in patients with local recurrence. All 16 patients had previously had curative resection of colorectal cancer; 13 in the rectum or rectosigmoid and three in the right colon. There were 13 Dukes' C and three Dukes' B cancers. All had been followed clinically and by CEA testing at three monthly intervals and were considered free of disease (NED) at time of CEA elevation.

The median disease free interval was 13 months (range 4-57 months) and the median CEA prompting admission for second-look operation was 21 ng/ml (range 10-56 ng/ml). The sites of recurrence were liver in six, lung in two and localized disease in six. Two patients had negative exploration for recurrence and were found to have cholelithiasis only (one of these later died of metastases). Resection for cure was done in seven and palliative resection or biopsy only was done in nine patients. At this time, four patients are NED (12-37 months), five are living with disease (10-16 months) and seven have died of disease (2-12 months). The CEA test provides a method of early detection of recurrence and may permit surgical retrieval in selected patients and earlier initiation of palliation in other patients. The longterm effects in patient salvage remain to be defined.

     

63例大肠癌肝转移患者的回顾性临床分析

目的 回顾性分析影响大肠癌肝转移患者预后的因素,并探讨手术切除加化疗、肝动脉栓塞灌注化疗、姑息化疗治疗大肠癌肝转移的疗效.方法 回顾性分析2001年至2007年间63例大肠癌肝转移患者的临床资料,采用多因素分析方法(Cox模型)分析大肠癌肝转移患者的临床特征、治疗方法及与预后的关系,并比较不同治疗方法的疗效.结果 63例大肠癌肝转移患者中位无疾病进展时间为6个月(0～50个月),中位生存期8个月(1～33个月).单因素生存分析显示术后至发生肝转移时间少于24 个月、术前CEA水平>15ng/ml、淋巴转移数、单纯肝动脉栓塞灌注化疗和姑息化疗的患者预后不良,P<0.05;多因素生存分析发现,治疗方法和术前CEA水平是影响预后的危险因素.结论 采用手术切除加化疗治疗大肠癌肝转移患者疗效较好.     

Carcinoembryonic antigen testing after curative liver resection for synchronous liver metastasis of colorectal cancer: a Japanese multicenter analysis

Purpose

To identify the possible roles of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) testing after liver resection for synchronous colorectal liver metastasis (CLM).

Methods

The subjects of this retrospective study were patients who underwent complete resection of primary tumors and synchronous CLM between 1997 and 2007 at 20 institutions in Japan. We studied the associations between perioperative CEA levels and the characteristics of recurrence.

Results

Recurrence was detected during the median follow-up time of 52 months in 445 (73.7%) of the total 604 patients analyzed. A postoperative CEA level >5 ng/ml was an independent predictor, with the highest hazard ratio (2.25, 95% confidence interval 1.29–3.91, P = 0.004). A postoperative CEA level >5 ng/ml had a specificity of 86.2% and a positive predictive value of 84.2% for recurrence. Patients with a high postoperative CEA level had a significantly higher recurrence rate, with a shorter time until recurrence and a higher frequency of multiple metastatic sites than those with a low postoperative CEA level. Among the patients with recurrence, 173 (52.7%) had an elevated CEA level (>5 ng/ml) when recurrence was detected.

Conclusions

A postoperative CEA level >5 ng/ml was an independent predictor of recurrence; however, CEA testing was not a reliable surveillance tool to identity recurrence after liver resection.

     

Results of CEA-initiated second-look surgery for recurrent colorectal cancer

Seventy-five consecutive patients were followed up prospectively for a median of 24 months after resection of Dukes/Kirklin class B-2 or C colorectal cancers with serial plasma carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) values (a mean of 14 per patient) to assess the usefulness of CEA-initiated second-look surgery. Fifteen of 18 tumor recurrences in this group were first diagnosed at reexploration initiated after two successively increasing CEA values despite no other evidence of recurrence. Four of the 15 patients found to have tumor at second-look surgery were resected for cure, and 2 of these patients remain without evidence of disease 13 and 24 months later. Five patients whose recurrences could not be resected for cure were treated with partial tumor resection, regional infusion of chemotherapy, systemic chemotherapy or external beam radiotherapy. Four of these were alive at least 10 months later. Six patients found to have widespread regional or distant tumor recurrence were not treated at all and were dead 6 months after reexploration. Seven of the nine patients whose recurrences were considered resectable or treatable had rates of CEA increase of less than 2.1 ng/30 days. All six of the patients not treatable at second-look surgery had rates of postoperative CEA increase greater than 2.1 ng/30 days. The value of serial CEA as the earliest indicator of tumor recurrence in this group of patients was clear. The rate of postoperative plasma CEA increase after primary resection may help identify those patients most likely to benefit from second-look surgery.     

直肠癌肺转移外科治疗的预后因素分析

目的探讨影响手术治疗直肠癌肺转移的预后因素。方法1973年9月到2007年9月,我院共诊断43例直肠癌肺转移患者并行45次肺转移瘤切除手术,其中男31例,女12例;年龄36～77岁（平均58岁）。随访资料包括：年龄、性别、pTNM分期、肺转移瘤数目及最大直径、术前血清癌胚抗原（carcinoembryonic antigen,CEA）水平、直肠癌原发灶切除至发现肺转移的时间即无瘤间隔时间（disease-free interval,DFI）、肺门及纵隔淋巴结转移、术中出血量、术后化疗等。用Kaplan Meier法统计生存率,Cox回归比例风险模型分析各可能因素对预后的影响。结果所有患者均被随访,随访时间1～103个月（中位数54个月）。术后因合并心脏并发症早期死亡1例（2．3％）,患者中位生存期42．6个月,术后患者1年,3年,5年生存率分别为91．3％,56．4％和32．2％。DFI为0～144个月（中位数28．6个月）,9例发生肺门或纵隔淋巴结转移。5年生存率CEA〈5ng／ml为42．6％,CEA≥5ng／ml为18．0％（P=0．009）;DFI≥3年患者5年生存率为53．3％,1年〈DFI〈3年患者为32．3％,DFI≤1年患者为15．1％（P=0．036）。术前血清CEA水平和DFI是影响患者预后的独立因素（P=0．013,0．016）。结论对直肠癌肺转移患者手术治疗是有效的,CEA〈5ng／ml和DFI≥3年的患者长期生存率较高。     

The clinical usefulness of preoperative CEA determination in gastric cancer

Between 1980 and 1984, preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was determined in 468 patients with gastric cancer to evaluate its clinical usefulness. The positive rate of preoperative CEA was 20.9 per cent in these 468 patients. A significantly higher CEA positive rate was obtained in those patients with liver metastasis (69.2 per cent), n3-4 (40.0 per cent), stage IV gastric cancer (37.0 per cent) and Pap, Tub1 histological type (26.3 per cent) (p less than 0.01). It is interesting that the positive rate of the 49 unresectable patients was 51.0 per cent, which was significantly higher than 17.4 per cent of the 419 resectable cases (p less than 0.01). CEA levels in 16 of the 39 patients with liver metastasis were more than 100 ng/ml. In contrast, serosal invasion and peritoneal metastasis were less correlated to the CEA positive rate. In the 419 resected cases, the 5 year survival rate in the higher CEA group of more than 50 ng/ml (35 cases) was 4.4 per cent, which was significantly lower than 64.0 per cent in the negative group (346 cases) (p less than 0.01). These results show that CEA determination in patients with gastric cancer is useful for the prediction of prognosis, as well as for a diagnostic tool to discover the presence of liver or lymph node metastasis.     

术前血清CEA和CA19-9水平检测对结肠癌术后早期复发转移的预测价值

目的:探讨术前血清CEA与CA19-9水平在结肠癌根治术后早期复发转移的预测价值。方法:收集2012年1月—2015年1月收治的129例术后发生复发转移结肠癌患者的临床资料,分析术前静脉血清CEA和CA19-9水平与患者术后早期复发转移及其他临床病理学参数的关系。结果:129例结肠癌患者中术后早期复发转移(术后12个月内)82例,晚期复发转移(超过12个月)47例;术前CEA阳性者74例中,早期复发转移56例(75.8%),术前CA19-9阳性者68例中,早期复发转移51例(75.0%)。统计分析显示,结肠癌术后早期复发转移与术前CEA与CA19-9阳性密切相关;术前CEA和CA19-9阳性患者与T分期与TNM分期升高及淋巴结转移及脉管浸润比例增加;术前CEA与CA19-9阳性患者术后早期复发转移率分别高于各自阴性患者,且两者均阳性患者早期复发转移率高于单一阳性或双阴性患者,差异均有统计学意义(均P0.05)。结论:术前血清CEA与CA19-9水平检测在结肠癌术后早期复发转移和预后判断中具有重要价值,术前两者均阳性患者预后差。     

Analysis of Prognostic Factors Influencing Long-term Survival After Hepatic Resection for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Background The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic factors associated with long-term outcome after liver resection for colorectal metastases. The retrospective analysis included 297 liver resections for colorectal metastases. Methods The variables considered included disease stage, differentiation grade, site and nodal metastasis of the primary tumor, number and diameter of the lesions, time from primary cancer to metastasis, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, adjuvant chemotherapy, type of resection, intraoperative ultrasonography and portal clamping use, blood loss, transfusions, complications, hospitalization, surgical margins status, and a clinical risk score (MSKCC-CRS). Results The univariate analysis revealed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in overall 5-year survival rates depending on the differentiation grade, preoperative CEA >5 and >200 ng/ml, diameter of the lesion >5 cm, time from primary tumor to metastases >12 months, MSKCC-CRS >2. The multivariate analysis showed three independent negative prognostic factors: G3 or G4 grade, CEA >5 ng/ml, and high MSKCC-CRS. Conclusions No single prognostic factor proved to be associated with a sufficiently disappointing outcome to exclude patients from liver resection. However, in the presence of some prognostic factors (G3–G4 differentiation, preoperative CEA >5 ng/ml, high MSKCC-CRS), enrollment of patients in trials exploring new adjuvant treatments is suggested to improve the outcome after surgery.     

Histopathologic and immunohistochemical studies on the elevation mechanism of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in gastric cancer patients

Correlation between carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels of peripheral and draining venous blood, and 11 histopathologic and 2 immunohistochemical variables, was examined in 53 gastric cancer patients and 8 patients with benign diseases. CEA levels of draining blood (with a mean of 136.5 ng/ml and positive rate greater than 5 ng/ml, 58, 3%) were significantly higher than those (30.3 ng/ml, 22.9%) of peripheral blood in patients with CEA producing cancer. However, CEA levels of draining blood were as low as 5 ng/ml and were not different from those of peripheral blood in all of the patients with CEA non-producing cancer and benign diseases. Elevation of CEA levels in draining and peripheral blood was most highly correlated with the venous invasion, although the levels in draining blood were related to other histopathologic variables including tumor size, macro- and microscopic types, invasive layer of gastric wall, peritoneal dissemination, liver and node metastasis, lymphatic invasion and stage classification except tumor location. These variables relating to CEA elevation in the blood were highly correlated with venous invasion. However, tumor location was not found the relation with venous invasion. These results suggest that CEA may be haematogenously drained by the portal system via the draining vein from the CEA producing cancer cells in the invasive veins but not by the thoracic duct of the lymphatic system, and that histopathologic CEA elevation-relating variables may affect secondarily the CEA elevation in the blood in association with the venous invasion.     

The usefulness and limitations of CEA assay in the management of colorectal cancer

We investigated the usefulness and limitations of the measurement of CEA in the evaluation of tumor resection and the detection of recurrence in colorectal cancer patients. Preoperatively, 46 of 90 patients (51.1%) had CEA values of 5.0 ng/ml or higher. The percentage of patients with elevated CEA in whom the CEA values returned to normal one month postoperatively was significantly higher in those who had undergone a curative resection than in those who had undergone a non-curative resection (p<0.02). Among patients with normal CEA values, the changes were nil or only slight in CEA values, one month postoperatively Among 28 with recurrences, 24 (85.7%) had CEA values of 5.0 ng/ml or higher. All 11 with liver recurrences had values of 10.0 ng/ml or higher. In 4 with liver recurrences and in cases where CEA measurements were made, CEA values were found to be abnormal 3 to 10 months before the recurrences and a rapid elvation occurred for a short period. However, 4 out of 10 with local or lymphnode recurrences showed normal CEA values. CEA measurement was useful in detection of liver recurrences, but not so useful in detecting local or lymphnode recurrences.     

Prognostic factors for long-term outcome of hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastases

The aim of the study was to analyse the prognostic factors for long-term outcome of liver resections for metastases from colorectal cancer. The retrospective analysis included 297 liver resections for colorectal carcinoma liver metastases. The following prognostic factors were considered: age, gender, stage and grade of differentiation of the primary tumour, node metastases, site of the primary colorectal cancer, number and diameter of the hepatic lesions, time interval from primary cancer to liver metastases, preoperative CEA level, adjuvant chemotherapy after hepatic resection, type of hepatic resection, use of intraoperative ultrasound and portal triad clamping, blood loss and transfusions, postoperative complications and hospital stay, tumour-free surgical margins, clinical risk score (as defined by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre group, MSKCC-CRS). Overall survival rates were estimated according to the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared at univariate analysis using the log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was performed including significant variables at univariate analysis using the Cox regression model. Differences were considered significant at p < 0.05. The 1, 3, 5 and 10-year overall survival rates were 90.6%, 51%, 27.5%, and 16.9%, respectively. The univariate analysis revealed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in overall survival in relation to: grade of differentiation of the primary cancer (5-year survival of grades G1-G2 vs grades G3-G4: 30.7% vs 14.4%, p = 0.0016), preoperative CEA level > 5 and > 200 ng/ml (5-year survival of CEA < 5 ng/ml vs CEA > 5 ng/ml: 51.1% vs 15.5%, p = 0.0016; 5-year survival of CEA < 200 ng/ml vs CEA > 200 ng/ml: 27.9% vs 17.4%, p = 0.0001), diameter of major lesions > 5 cm (5-year survival of diameter < or = 5 cm vs > 5 cm: 30.0% vs 18.8%, p = 0.0074), disease-free interval between primary tumour and liver metastases longer than 12 months (5-year survival of patients with disease-free interval < or = 12 months vs > 12 months: 23.0% vs 36.1%, p = 0.042), high MSKCC-CRS (5-year survival of MKSCC-CRS 0-1-2 vs 3-4-5: 36.4% vs 1 6.3%, p = 0.017). The multivariate analysis showed three independent negative prognostic factors: G3-G4 primary cancer, CEA level > 5 ng/ml, and high MSKCC-CRS class. No single prognostic factor turned out to be associated with such disappointing outcomes after hepatic surgery for colorectal liver metastases as to permit the identification of specific subgroups of patients to be excluded on principle from undergoing liver resection. However, in the presence of a number of specific prognostic factors (G3-G4 grade of differentiation of the primary tumour, preoperative CEA level > 5 ng/ml, high MSKCC-CRS) enrolment of the patient in trials exploring new diagnostic tools or new adjuvant treatments may be suggested to improve the preoperative staging of the disease and reduce the incidence of tumour recurrence after liver resection.     

Roôle of carcinoembryonic antigen in bronchial carcinoma.

It has been reported that lung cancer patients often have raised carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels but the significance of this in diagnosis and follow-up has yet to be established. The results of 256 preoperative investigations in patients with lung cancer are reported. Sequential values after radical surgery and chemotherapy and immunotherapy have been performed in 57 patients during treatment and outpatient follow-up. Ninety-nine per cent of preoperative values were more than 5 ng/ml and 41% greater than 15 ng/ml. Only 6% reached diagnostic levels for malignancy (greater than 52ng/ml) and adenocarcinomas formed 47% (7 out of 15) of these. Sequential estimation in patients during and after treatment showed fluctuations which were related to disease status in 7 (32%) of 22 who have developed secondary disease. In three patients levels of greater than 50 ng/ml preceded clinical evidence of recurrence, and two patients have developed very high levels but have not yet developed other evidence of recurrent disease. It is concluded that raised CEA levels in lung cancer are infrequent, but in those patients who have or develop raised levels sequential investigation may be of value in monitoring response to treatment and clinical coourse.