Studies on Plasma Level and Tissue Contents of Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Colo-rectal Cancer

Abstract

Plasma levels of Carcirioembryonic antigen (CEA) were measured in 60 patients with colo-rectal cancer. Measurement were also carried out in 43 controls. Plasma levels of CEA were 56.9±241.3 ng/ml (mean±SD) in the patients and 50% of them showed positive plasma CEA (>5 ng/ml). Plasma levels of CEA were 2.6±1.7ng/ml in controls and 14% of them showed positive plasma CEA. Tissue contents of CEA were measured in 30 patients with colo-rectal cancer. Measurement were also carried out in 6 controls. Content of CEA in cancer tissue was 8077.3±6118.5ng/g, whereas it was 140.1±25.1ng/g in controls.
There was a close correlation between total amounts of CEA contained in cancer tissue and plasma levels of CEA, but not between contents of CEA contained per unit weight of cancer tissue and Plasma levels of CEA.