[The significance of the preoperative CEA value for the prognosis of rectal cancer].

254 patients were operated for rectal carcinoma in the period from 1980 to 1986. The number of curative procedures, recurrence rate and 5-year-survival rate were dependent on the preoperative CEA levels, which correlated with the tumour stage. Even within tumour stages with enough cases for statistical evaluation the CEA could be established as an independent prognostical variable. Within stage pT2N0M0 recurrence rate for patients with preoperative CEA level below 5 ng/ml was 29% compared to 64% in patients with higher serum levels. Median survival time for the two groups were 65 and 35 months, respectively. In stage of lymph node involvement median survival times of 46 and 25 months were observed for the groups with CEA levels above and below 5 ng/ml. The pattern of recurrence within the two stages seemed to be unaffected by the preoperative CEA level. Patients with preoperative elevated CEA represent a risk group with need of consistent postoperative follow-up and CEA controls.