Monitoring of patients with carcinoma of the large intestine by use of acute phase proteins and carcinoembryonic antigen.

Fifty-two patients with resectable carcinoma of the colon and rectum have been monitored by three monthly serial estimations of three APRP (serum protein hexose, transferrin and ceruloplasmin) together with CEA. In 36 patients, subsequent clinical evidence of a recurrence of the disease developed during the study period. Monitoring with APRP can detect a recurrence of the disease at the subclinical stage in the majority of patients and appears to be complimentary to monitoring with CEA. However, due to the low incidence of surgical removal of recurrent carcinoma, this does not give real benefit for patients.