Omer Topdagi1, Aysu Timuroglu2. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, Atatürk University School of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey. 2. Department of Internal Medicine, Erzincan University School of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the relationship between carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in the preoperative period and TNM (T: primary tumor, N: lymph node, M: distant metastasis or metastasis) staging in patients with colorectal cancer in our region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, 752 cases diagnosed with colorectal cancer between January 1992 and December 2010 we analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Data of 752 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1992 and 2010 were evaluated; of the 752 patients, 427 (56.8%) were males and 325 (43.2%) were females with the mean age of 56.8±14.9 years. CEA levels of 316 cases were measured; 52.2% of the samples were within normal limits. Cases with CEA ≤5 ng/mL were majorly in Stage III, whereas those with CEA >5 ng/mL were predominantly in Stage IV. The TNM stage, tumor diameter, and differentiation levels were defined, and no statistically significant relationship was detected between these parameters and CEA levels. CONCLUSION: While the CEA levels of 52.2% of participating cases were within normal limits, there was no statistically significant relationship between the CEA levels and differentiation level of tumor, tumor diameter, and TNM staging. According to the data, CEA levels may be within normal limits in the majority of patients with colorectal cancer. Therefore, normal levels of CEA will not rule out colorectal cancer diagnosis, and it can be concluded that these patients should be investigated in detail.
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the relationship between carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in the preoperative period and TNM (T: primary tumor, N: lymph node, M: distant metastasis or metastasis) staging in patients with colorectal cancer in our region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, 752 cases diagnosed with colorectal cancer between January 1992 and December 2010 we analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Data of 752 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1992 and 2010 were evaluated; of the 752 patients, 427 (56.8%) were males and 325 (43.2%) were females with the mean age of 56.8±14.9 years. CEA levels of 316 cases were measured; 52.2% of the samples were within normal limits. Cases with CEA ≤5 ng/mL were majorly in Stage III, whereas those with CEA >5 ng/mL were predominantly in Stage IV. The TNM stage, tumor diameter, and differentiation levels were defined, and no statistically significant relationship was detected between these parameters and CEA levels. CONCLUSION: While the CEA levels of 52.2% of participating cases were within normal limits, there was no statistically significant relationship between the CEA levels and differentiation level of tumor, tumor diameter, and TNM staging. According to the data, CEA levels may be within normal limits in the majority of patients with colorectal cancer. Therefore, normal levels of CEA will not rule out colorectal cancer diagnosis, and it can be concluded that these patients should be investigated in detail.
Authors: Pragatheeshwar Thirunavukarasu; Shyamsunder Sukumar; Magesh Sathaiah; Meredith Mahan; Kothai Divya Pragatheeshwar; James F Pingpank; Herbert Zeh; Christopher J Bartels; Kenneth K W Lee; David L Bartlett Journal: J Natl Cancer Inst Date: 2011-03-18 Impact factor: 13.506
Authors: Tomasz Sawicki; Monika Ruszkowska; Anna Danielewicz; Ewa Niedźwiedzka; Tomasz Arłukowicz; Katarzyna E Przybyłowicz Journal: Cancers (Basel) Date: 2021-04-22 Impact factor: 6.639