Evaluation of carcinoembryonic antigen levels in gastric juice, stomach mucosa and plasma in high-risk and gastric cancer patients.

The aim of this study is to compare the levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the gastric juice, stomach mucosa and plasma of gastrectomy patients at risk of developing cancer with those in normal controls and gastric cancer subjects. Blood samples, gastric juices and biopsy material were taken from 52 patients (8 normal, 10 gastric carcinomas, 24 gastroresected according to Billroth II and 10 according to Billroth I). No significant correlation was found between age, sex or smoking habits and CEA levels in plasma, gastric juice or stomach mucosa. A significant correlation between CEA levels in gastric secretion and those in tissue emerged from out data (n = 52; r = 0.67; p less than 0.01). A minor correlation was found between tissue and plasma CEA values (r = 0.34; p less than 0.05). The mean levels of CEA in plasma did not show significant differences between controls and neoplastic risk subjects. The average level of CEA in gastric secretions and in tissue were significantly lower in normal controls than in neoplastic and gastroresected patients; in this latter group, we have observed a correlation between the severity of the histological lesions and the levels of CEA in the biopsy specimens; no correlation was found with the type of operation (Billroth I or Billroth II). The level of CEA in gastric juices and in biopsy material, therefore, appears to be more useful than in plasma in recognizing cancer risk subjects.