Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) monitoring in the management of radiotherapeutic patients.

We have measures serial carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) titers in 92 patients, randomly selected from the patient population of a Radiotherapeutic Clinic, to correlate with clinical and follow-up evaluation. 57 out of 92 patients had positive CEA levels (2.5 ng/ml) or 62 percent of proven cancer patients. In this series, 67 percent (63/92) showed positive correlation between the curves of CEA levels and the clinical evaluation of disease activity. A simple computerized program was designed with the data collection directed to identifying parameters and trends of different groups. Breast CA showed 89 percent correlation; lung carcinoma showed 80 percent large bowel 75 percent, and other organs showed less. This assay is a prototype study of human response to therapy in relation to tumor antigen and host response, as measured by a nonspecific tumor associated antigen.