Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Patients with Cervical Carcinoma

ABSTRACT

The determination of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in serum has been of much interest currently concomitant with the search for an immunologic diagnosis test. In this study, serum CEA values from 68 patients with histologically proved cervical carcinoma were determined by radioimmunoassay before or/and at two, intervals after radiotherapy. Fourteen patients of 68 had CEA values over 10ng per milliliter before treatment. The incidence of positive CEA values was higher in the advanced stages of disease. Three patients of five with CEA levels greater than 10ng per milliliter before treatment showed a drop of CEA levels to be1ow 10ng per milliliter seven weeks after treatment whereas two patients showed no change in CEA values at the end of radiotherapy. Two patients with palliative therapy showed no change in CEA values. The CEA test seems to be of little value for the early diagnosis and the evaluation of therapy in patients with cervical carcinoma but appears to be interesting for the surveillance of patients who have shown a drop of CEA level after therapy.