[Diagnostic and prognostic value of CEA and GICA in colo-rectal tumors. A caseload contribution]

The Authors analyse the clinical usefulness of serum levels' determination of Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) and Gastrointestinal Cancer Antigen (GICA) in 152 patients with colorectal cancer, admitted to their Hospital from November 1982 to March 1989. The sensibility for primary diagnosis of each tumor marker is not very high but there is a relationship between the stage and the histological characters of the disease, especially when the markers are considered at the same time. Preoperative serum level determination of CEA and GICA can be considered a good prognostic index: infarct the increase of the levels is generally due to metastatic tissue or local recurrence. This was confirmed during patients follow-up by further tests which revealed recurrence of the disease.