Ward, U, Primrose, JN, Finan, PJ et al. (4 more authors) (1993) The use of tumour markers CEA, CA-195 and CA-242 in evaluating the response to chemotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. British Journal of Cancer, 67 (5). pp. 1132-1135. ISSN 0007-0920
Abstract
Tumour markers CEA, CA-195 and CA-242 were measured in 33 patients undergoing chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer. The aim was to determine whether they could be used to accurately monitor the course of the disease, and reduce the need for imaging. Treatment with a 5-fluorouracil based regimen resulted in a partial response in nine patients (27%), whereas the remainder either had disease stabilisation or suffered from progression. Before treatment the CEA was elevated in 85% of patients and the CA-195 and CA-242 in 78%. All three markers were elevated in 70% and at least one elevated in 93%. CA-195 and CA-242 appeared to be co-expressed, by contrast with the CEA. When compared to the results of serial CT scanning the CEA correlated best with the course of the disease, the positive predictive value being 54% for a partial response, 77% for minor and partial responses combined and 100% for progressive disease. The corresponding values for CA-195 were 46%, 62% and 100% respectively and for CA-242, 50%, 67% and 100% respectively. Thus, although falling levels of markers overestimate the number of responses demonstrated by imaging, rising tumour markers invariably herald progressive disease. This was often evident up to 16 weeks before progression was observed on scanning. CEA is the most useful of the three markers in the monitoring of patients being treated for advanced colorectal cancer, but other markers may prove valuable if the CEA is normal. The use of tumour markers should reduce the need for regular scanning.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 1993 Macmillan Press Ltd. This is article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike License. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology (LICAP) > Clinical Cancer Research (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 11 Jul 2016 11:10 |
Last Modified: | 11 Jul 2016 11:10 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1993.208 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Cancer Research UK |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/bjc.1993.208 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:93482 |