Prognostic value of preoperative serum CEA level compared to clinical staging: II. Stomach cancer.

In a clinical investigation of postoperative survival after primary surgery for stomach cancer, 390 patients were registered since 1974. The potential prognostic parameters examined within the first days of hospitalization for primary resection included age of the patients, operability, tumour extension (TNM classification) and tumour stages I-IV (UICC). Statistical treatment of the data revealed that each of the clinical parameters covers critical ranges associated with highly significant differences in patient survival. The preoperative serum CEA concentration exhibited prognostic significance in addition to the criteria of operability and tumour extension. In selected subgroups of patients with distinct resectability and tumour extension, ranges of preoperative CEA concentration could be specified which were associated with statistically significant differences in the patient survival. The results indicate that the preoperative serum CEA level can be an independent prognostic parameter in stomach cancer.