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), n_3–4 (40.0 per cent), stage IV gastric cancer (37.0 per cent) and Pap, Tub₁ histological type (26.3 per cent) (p<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<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<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.     

Serum CEA levels in patients with gastric carcinoma correlate with the tumorigenicity of their xenografts in nude mice

We examined the correlation among preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, staining properties of the tumors by CEA immunohistochemistry and the tumorigenicity of their xenografts in nude mice, in 28 patients with gastric cancer. Eleven (40 per cent) of them were positive for serum CEA (greater than or equal to 2.5 ng/ml) and seven (25 per cent) of the xenografts were tumorigenic in nude mice. All the tumorigenic cases were positive for serum CEA (p less than 0.001) and the mean value of the serum CEA level in the patients with tumorigenic neoplasms was 20.8 ng/ml, being significantly higher than that (1.4 ng/ml) in the patients with non-tumorigenic neoplasms (p less than 0.001). Twenty-five of the 28 carcinomas (89 per cent) were positive for CEA staining in their cancer cells by the ABC method and CEA localization correlated with tumorigenicity (p less than 0.05). These results suggest that the serum CEA level in patients is correlated with the tumorigenicity of their gastric carcinoma xenografts in nude mice and may account for the poor prognosis of patients with high serum CEA.     

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.     

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<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.     

Serum CEA levels in patients with gastric carcinoma correlate with the tumorigenicity of their xenografts in nude mice

We examined the correlation among preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, staining properties of the tumors by CEA immunohistochemistry and the tumorigenicity of their xenografts in nude mice, in 28 patients with gastric cancer. Eleven (40 per cent) of them were positive for serum CEA (≧2.5 ng/ml) and seven (25 per cent) of the xenografts were tumorigenic in nude mice. All the tumorigenic cases were positive for serum CEA (p<0.001) and the mean value of the serum CEA level in the patients with tumorigenic neoplasms was 20.8 ng/ml, being significantly higher than that (1.4 ng/ml) in the patients with nontumorigenic neoplasms (p<0.001). Twenty-five of the 28 carcinomas (89 per cent) were positive for CEA staining in their cancer cells by the ABC method and CEA localization correlated with tumorigencity (p<0.05). These results suggest that the serum CEA level in patients is correlated with the tumorigenicity of their gastric carcinoma xenografts in nude mice and may account for the poor prognosis of patients with high serum CEA.     

The clinical value of tissue carcinoembryonic antigen in breast cancer.

The relationship of tissue carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) to clinicopathological factors and prognosis was investigated in 168 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. Tissue CEA was determined by radioimmunoassay and a level of 5.1 ng/ml or more considered to be positive. Tissue CEA was positive in 31.5 per cent of the patients overall and, of the clinicopathological factors, tumor size and the presence or absence of lymph node involvement were not found to be correlated with tissue CEA. However, the tissue CEA positivity rate was significantly higher in patients who had four or more metastatic lymph nodes (p less than 0.01). Tissue CEA-positive patients showed earlier recurrence than CEA-negative patients (p less than 0.01) and had a poorer outcome (p less than 0.05). Thus, tissue CEA is considered useful as a prognostic index for primary breast cancer patients.     

The correlation of epidermal growth factor with invasion and metastasis in human gastric cancer

We examined the localization of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in 185 specimens of primary human gastric cancer using the avidin-biotin peroxidase complex immunohistochemical method on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections. Thirty-four per cent of the gastric cancer specimens were positive for EGF, which was mainly located in the cytoplasm of the cancer cells and occasionally in the stromal cells, but was not detected in non-cancerous gastric epithelium. Moreover, the presence of EGF in gastric cancer was correlated with gastric wall invasion and lymph node metastasis. EGF was found more often in advanced cancers than in early ones (p less than 0.01), and also more often in cancers with lymph node metastasis than in those without (p less than 0.05). The five-year survival of patients with EGF-positive tumors was worse than that of patients with EGF-negative tumors (p less than 0.05). The presence of EGF in human gastric cancer may thus represent higher malignant potential.     

Serum CEA levels facilitate detection of recurrences of cancer in patients after gastrectomy

In an attempt to assess the usefulness of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) for predicting the progression of gastric cancer, CEA productivity was evaluated according to serum CEA levels, at the time of recurrence or relapse. In cases of a recurrence, abnormal CEA levels were observed in 14 of 17 (82.4 per cent) with differentiated carcinoma and in 9 of 21 (42.9 per cent) with undifferentiated carcinoma. Preoperative abnormal CEA levels were observed in only 6 of 41 patients (14.6 per cent). A median lead time of manifestation of recurrence was 5 months. In those with relapse, 9 of 11 (81.8 per cent) patients with differentiated carcinoma and 13 of 18 (72.2 per cent) with an undifferentiated carcinoma had abnormal CEA levels. Preoperative abnormal CEA levels were observed in 24 of these 89 patients (27.0 per cent). Postoperative monitoring of CEA seems to be useful for early recognition of gastric cancer progression, irrespective of the preoperative CEA levels.     

Serum CEA levels facilitate detection of recurrences of cancer in patients after gastrectomy

In an attempt to assess the usefulness of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) for predicting the progression of gastric cancer, CEA productivity was evaluated according to serum CEA levels, at the time of recurrence or relapse. In cases of a recurrence, abnormal CEA levels were observed in 14 of 17 (82.4 per cent) with differentiated carcinoma and in 9 of 21 (42.9 per cent) with undifferentiated carcinoma. Preoperative abnormal CEA levels were observed in only 6 of 41 patients (14.6 per cent). A median lead time of manifestation of recurrence was 5 months. In those with relapse, 9 of 11 (81.8 per cent) patients with differentiated carcinoma and 13 of 18 (72.2 per cent) with an undifferentiated carcinoma had abnormal CEA levels. Preoperative abnormal CEA levels were observed in 24 of these 89 patients (27.0 per cent). Postoperative monitoring of CEA seems to be useful for early recognition of gastric cancer progression, irrespective of the preoperative CEA levels.     

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。     

癌组织K-ras基因突变、术前血清CEA水平与结直肠癌临床病理特点的关系

目的观察结直肠癌组织中K-ras基因突变情况,术前检测患者血清CEA水平,探讨两者与结直肠癌临床病理的关系。方法应用实时荧光定量PCR方法和基因测序技术检测100例结直肠癌组织中K-ras基因12、13密码子突变情况,化学发光法检测患者血清CEA水平,结合其临床病理资料进行统计学分析。结果 K-ras基因突变者39例(39.0%),其中12号密码子突变31例,13号密码子突变8例。有淋巴结转移者K-ras基因突变率(57.8%)明显高于无淋巴结转移者(23.6%),有肝脏转移者K-ras基因突变率(62.5%)明显高于无肝转移者(34.5%),TNM分期Ⅲ、Ⅳ期K-ras基因突变率(56.5%)明显高于Ⅰ、Ⅱ期(24.1%)。K-ras基因突变率与肿瘤大小、部位、肿瘤浸润深度、分化程度无密切关系。49例CEA水平超出正常范围(49.0%)。有淋巴结转移或肝转移患者CEA水平显著高于无淋巴结或肝转移患者(P0.05)。在肿瘤不同的临床病理分期(Duke's、TNM分期)间CEA水平差异有统计学意义,Duke's D期和TNMⅢ、Ⅳ期出现高阳性率。CEA水平在肿瘤不同浸润深度、体积及分化程度上无明显差异。结论癌组织K-ras基因突变和血清CEA水平超出正常水平预示结直肠癌可能合并淋巴结转移或肝转移,是预后不良的指标。     

癌组织K-ras基因突变和血清CEA的联合检测预测结直肠癌肝转移的意义

目的 观察结直肠癌组织中K-ras瑚基因突变,检测患者外周血清CEA水平,探讨两者与结直肠癌肝转移的关系.方法 应用实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应(PCR)方法和基因测序技术检测100例结直肠癌组织中K-ras基因1号外显子12、13密码子突变,化学发光法检测患者血清CEA水平,结合其临床资料分析.结果 100例结直肠癌组织中K-ras基因突变者39例(39.0%),其中12号密码子突变31例,13号密码子突变8例.36例肝转移组中K-ras基因突变23例(23/36,63.9%);64例无肝转移组中K-ras基因突变16例(16/64,25.0%).36例有肝转移患者外周血清CEA水平为(66.79±127.46)μg/L,其中25例(25/36,69.4%)出现不同程度CEA升高;64例无肝转移患者外周血清CEA水平为(4.93±4.62)μg/L,其中24例(24/64,37.5%)CEA升高.两个指标联合检测,肝转移组的阳性率(22/36,61.1%)明显高于无肝转移组的阳性率(5/64,7.8%),P<0.01.其预测结直肠癌肝转移的敏感性及特异性分别为61.1%和92.2%.结论 K-ras基因突变、血清CEA水平与结直肠癌肝脏转移有密切相关,联合检测癌组织K-ras基因突变和血清CEA水平可预测结直肠癌肝转移.     

Prognostic factors of early gastric cancer--results of long-term follow-up and analysis of recurrent cases

The prognosis of early gastric cancer (EGC) is generally excellent, however, EGC is not an exception to recurrence. In order to know what type of EGC is liable to recur, long-term results were studied in 304 cases of resection. The cumulative 10-year survival rate was poorer in patients with positive lymph nodes than in those with negative nodes (52.8 +/- 15.8 per cent vs 94.1 +/- 2.4 per cent; p less than 0.05). It was also less favorable when the EGC was greater than 5 cm in diameter (61.5 +/- 13.2 per cent vs 92.9 +/- 2.4 per cent; p less than 0.05). Among 50 cases which died postoperatively, six deaths were due to recurrence. A predominant mode of recurrence was hematogenous metastasis (4/6). The characteristics of EGC which recurred later included large cancer (greater than or equal to 5 cm) (6/6), macroscopically combined-type cancer (5/6), cancer of depth invasion to the submucosa (4/6) and histologically differentiated cancer (6/6). Lymph node dissection was not carried out in two of these patients at their primary operation. Adjuvant therapy should be added in the EGC bearing risk factors depicted above. Primary cancer in other organs, either metachronous or synchronous, was found in 13 cases (4.3 per cent). Colonic cancer, in particular, was seen in three, and it was 4.8 times as frequent as the expected number of the general population, calculated using the person-year method.     

Utility of liver scintigraphy and angiography in preoperative detection of liver metastasis from gastrointestinal carcinoma

One hundred and seventy cases of cancer of digestive tract were separated into three groups, advanced gastric cancer, biliary and/or pancreatic cancer and colorectal cancer. The presence of liver metastasis in each group was studied preoperatively by either liver scintigraphy or celiac and superior mesenteric angiography. In advanced gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, false negative ranged between 6.7–12.7 per cent by both scintigraphy and angiography. In biliary tract and/or pancreatic cancer, the ratio of false negative was significantly higher i.e. 18.8–22.6 per cent, which suggests the difficulty in diagnosing liver metastasis correctly in this group. The most frequent occurrences of false positive either in scintigraphy or angiography were those of masses of less than 2 cm in diameter. The difference in correct diagnosis ratio for liver metastasis between scintigraphy and angiography in all three groups was only 2.9 per cent. Hence, liver scintigraphy seems to be preferable for the puropse of detecting liver metastasis prior to surgery, since further angiographical examination entails irradiation, possible complications and economic factors.     

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.     

胃癌患者术前血清CA724和CEA水平及临床意义

目的 研究血清糖链抗原724（CA724）和癌胚抗原（CEA）在胃癌患者手术前后的水平变化及临床意义。方法 胃癌患者33例，良性胃疾病患者31例。在33例胃癌患者中有6例远处转移，采用免疫放射分析法（IRMA）分别检测了空腹血清CA724和CEA水平。结果 胃癌组血清CA724和CEA水平高于胃良性疾病组，差异显著（P〈0．01）。胃癌患者术前组血清CA724、CEA水平高于术后组，差异显著（P〈0.01和P〈0．05）。胃癌患者有淋巴结转移组血清CA724、CEA水平高于无淋巴结转移组，差异显著（P〈0．01）。胃癌患者行根治性手术组术后血清CA724、CEA水平低于姑息性切除组，差异显著（P〈0．Ol和P〈0．05）。结论 手术切除肿瘤特别是行根治性切除术后，血清CA724、CEA水平显著降低。动态观察CA724、CEA水平及其变化，结果表明CA724、CEA水平与胃病变性质及胃癌是否转移密切相关。提示：血清CA724和CEA的测定，对胃癌的筛选、诊断有无转移有重要的价值。     

Combination chemotherapy enhances survival of patients with unresectable gastric cancer

Of 177 Japanese patients with a gastric cancer which could not be resected and seen at our institution during the period from 1964 to 1979, 153 were investigated with regard to the efficacy of anticancer agents, in terms of prolongation of life. The average survival time was 23 weeks in the combination chemotherapy group (57 cases), 17 weeks in the single drug chemotherapy group (42 cases) and 13 weeks in no chemotherapy group (54 cases). Three and 6 month survival rates in the overall patients were 57.1 per cent and 16.7 per cent for single drug chemotherapy group, and 37.0 per cent and 11.1 per cent for no chemotherapy group, while in the combination chemotherapy group, the rates were higher at 64.9 per cent and 29.8 per cent, respectively (combination chemotherapy vs. no chemotherapy group, p less than 0.05). In patients with peritoneal dissemination, hepatic metastasis and carcinomatous ascites, there was a significant difference in survival rates between those prescribed combination chemotherapy and those given no chemotherapy (p less than 0.05). Of 57 in the combination chemotherapy group, 6 and 9 month survival rates were 45.5 per cent and 22.7 per cent in the postoperative long-term cancer chemotherapy (PLCC) group (22 cases), such being higher than other combination chemotherapy group (35 cases), 22.9 per cent and 11.4 per cent, respectively. There was a significant difference in the survival rates between the two groups (p less than 0.05).     

Clinicopathologic features of gastric cancers producing alpha-fetoprotein

BACKGROUND: Patients with gastric cancers producing alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were reported to have a poor prognosis with high rates of liver metastasis. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the clinicopathological features of AFP-producing gastric cancers, in particular characteristics of liver metastasis, and to evaluate treatment of these cancers. METHODS: In 27 of the 29 cases with elevated preoperative serum AFP levels among a total of 974 primary gastric cancers, AFP production was confirmed in gastric cancer cells by immunohistochemistry. These cases were included in the AFP-positive gastric cancer group (AFP(+), 2.7%). The remaining 945 cases with normal serum AFP levels were designated the AFP-negative gastric cancer group (AFP(-)). RESULTS: There was a higher incidence of lymph node metastasis, a deeper invasion of the gastric wall, a higher frequency of advanced stage, a more marked lymphatic invasion and a higher rate of liver metastasis in the AFP(+) group than in the AFP(-) group. The patients received curative resection in AFP(+) group had a significantly worse survival rates in comparison to that in AFP(-) group. With respect to liver metastasis (n = 17) in AFP(+) group, of 3 cases who received curative hepatic resection, 1 patient survived more than 3 years, while the remaining 2 died in less than 3 years due to multiple liver recurrence. The patients (n = 5) who received palliative resection for liver metastasis followed by transarterial continuous infusion chemotherapy all died in less than 1 year. CONCLUSION: AFP-producing gastric cancers had aggressive behavior and their clinical or biological features were quite different from the common AFP-negative gastric cancers. Surgical resection of liver metastasis from AFP-producing gastric cancers was unsatisfactory. The development of a novel multimodal therapy against AFP-producing gastric cancers is needed.     

胃癌患者淋巴转移的预测分析

目的 建立一个预测胃癌患者淋巴结转移的系统,以利于指导胃癌患者的治疗.方法 分析2005年1月-2009年12月255例于北京友谊医院行胃癌根治术或姑息胃切除手术治疗的胃癌患者术后病理淋巴结是否转移,对其性别、年龄、术前体重下降、合并贫血、合并幽门梗阻、合并慢性疾病史、家族史、肿瘤位置、肿瘤大小、术前CEA单项增高、术...     

手术操作对胃癌细胞外周血播散的影响及其危险因素

目的研究手术操作对胃癌细胞外周血播散的影响及其危险因素。方法45例胃癌患者于胃癌根治手术前后即刻分别取外周血,采用RT-PCR的方法测定外周血中癌胚抗原(CEA) mRNA的表达情况。10例健康体检者和3例因胃溃疡而行胃大部切除术者为对照组。结果胃癌患者手术后CEA mRNA阳性率[48.9%(22/45)]显著高于手术前[8.9%(4/45)](P=0.000);对照组外周血CEA mRNA的表达皆阴性。手术后CEAmRNA阴性组手术时间(2.46±0.51)h,阳性组则为(3.19±0.48)h,P=0.000;早期胃癌组CEA mRNA阳性率10.0%(1/10),进展期胃癌组CEA mRNA阳性率54.8%(17/31),P=0.034;差异均有统计学意义。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,手术时间和肿瘤侵犯深度为手术后CEA mRNA阳性率升高的危险因素。结论手术操作可导致胃癌肿瘤细胞播散进入血液循环,手术时间和肿瘤侵犯深度为重要的危险因素,随着手术时间的延长和肿瘤侵犯深度的增加,肿瘤细胞播散入血的可能性增加。