Detection of recurrence of XXXX by radioimmunoassay of circulating carcinoembryonic antigen (C.E.A.).

@entity5 @entity1 @entity694 @entity189
The usefulness and limitations of the carcinoembryonic antigen (C.E.A.) radioimmunoassay for the evaluation of @entity5 resection and for the detection of @entity5 relapse were studied in @entity1 with @entity189 . The level of plasma-C.E.A. was determined before any treatment in a group of 101 @entity1 with histologically proven @entity694 and rectum. 71% of all @entity1 and 63% of cases with @entity5 (Dukes A and B) had a preoperative C.E.A. value of 5 ng. per ml. or higher. This limit was reached by only 1 of 90 apparently healthy, non-smoking blood-donors. Among 45 @entity1 for whom a complete @entity5 resection was reported, all @entity1 except 5 showed a drop of C.E.A. to normal values after surgery. The 5 @entity1 whose C.E.A. did not fall to below 5 ng. per ml. showed a subsequent rise in C.E.A. level and were all found later to have a @entity5 relapse. The results indicate that an incomplete drop of circulating C.E.A. level one month after surgery has a bad prognostic significance. 22 of these @entity1 were followed up by repeated C.E.A. radioimmunoassay for several months after surgery. 8 showed a progressive increase in C.E.A. levels preceding clinical diagnosis of @entity5 relapse by two to ten months. 6 other @entity1 showed a moderate increase in C.E.A. levels, suggesting a @entity5 relapse not yet clinically detectable. The remaining 8 @entity1 showed no increase in C.E.A. level above 5 ng. per ml. and no clinical symptoms of relapse. The results demonstrate that relapses of @entity694 can be detected by increased C.E.A. levels months before the appearance of any clinical evidence.
