Cholesterolemia in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colorectal cancer incidence is higher in developed countries. High fat intake is one of the risk factors. However, many studies observed lower cholesterol serum levels on diagnosis of colorectal cancer. The aim of this assay was to study the serum cholesterol levels in patients with colorectal cancer and compare these values with individuals of the same age and sex. METHODOLOGY: Cholesterol serum levels of 85 patients with colorectal cancer were determined. Each of the patients with colorectal cancer were matched with an individual without cancer of the same age and sex. Total cholesterol concentrations were determined using an enzymatic colorimetric method. RESULTS: The mean serum of cholesterol was 183.4 for the colorectal group and 209.7 for the control group. This difference was statistically significant. This difference was more evident in patients with colon cancer and older than 60 years of age. There was no difference between the different Dukes' stage. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggest an association between low blood cholesterol and colorectal cancer. We believe that the lower level of cholesterol observed in these patients is a consequence between the difference of colorectal carcinogenesis.

[Carcinoembryonic antigen in diagnosis and monitoring of colorectal cancer]. / Antígeno carcinoembrionário no diagnóstico e acompanhamento do câncer colorretal.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels in the diagnosis and in monitoring colorectal cancer patients at different Dukes' stage. Carcinoembryonic antigen serum levels were measured by Elisa using Sorine Biomedica kit (normal value: 5 ng/ml) in 240 colorectal adenocarcinoma. In the diagnosis, carcinoembryonic antigen levels were measured in 109 patients, in 42% of them, the carcinoembryonic antigen levels were elevated. The carcinoembryonic antigen levels were also evaluated in 309 serum from treated colorectal cancer patients. Fifty-nine percent of the serum of the patients with recurrence disease had elevated carcinoembryonic antigen levels and 41% of the serum of patients without recurrence also have elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels. Ninety percent of the serum from treated patients without recurrence have normal serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels. We concluded that the sensitivity of carcinoembryonic antigen is lower in the diagnosis as described in others studies, mostly in patients with better prognosis. In the monitoring, patients with normal serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels, probably have no recurrence of the disease. In the other hand, patients with elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels can have or not relapsed disease.

CEA as a prognostic index in colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The carcinoembryonic antigen, CEA, is the tumor marker most used in colorectal patients, principally during follow up after radical surgery. High serum CEA level before surgery is often associated with worse prognosis, in some studies. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen levels (CEA) and the frequency of recurrence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty-three patients with colorectal cancer at Dukes stages A, B or C were evaluated retrospectively. The patients follow up was at least two years or to death. CEA was determined in serum by enzyme immunoassay (Sorin Biomedica), normal value 0.5ng/ml. RESULTS: Disease recurrence was observed in 32 patients (38.5%), 13 Dukes B and 19 Dukes C. Seventy five per cent of the patients with CEA higher than 10ng/ml relapsed and 80% of the patients without recurrence had normal CEA. Disease recurrence in patients with preoperative elevated CEA occurred during the first year of follow up in 56% of the patients. CONCLUSION: Although the tumor stage is today the most valuable prognostic variable in colorectal cancer, the preoperative CEA value can provide some additional information in the prognosis of the patient.