Carcinoembryonic antigen and prognosis in patients with colon cancer

One-hundred and fifty patients with non-metastatic colo-rectal cancer were followed for a period of 24 to 36 months postoperatively. Preoperative CEA values have been shown to correlate with the extent of the disease and the patient's prognosis. The prognosis for recurrences is greater in patients with elevated pre-operative CEA values regardless of the stage of their disease. This tendency to have recurrences is 1.8 times higher in individuals with increased pre-operative CEA levels. This same relationship occurs to a greater or lesser extent at each stage of the disease.