Carcinoembryonic antigen immunocytochemistry in primary breast cancer

We studied the immunoreactivity by immunohistology of two carcinoembryonic antigens (CEA) with specific and two CEA antibodies with nonspecific cross-reacting antigen (NCA) cross reactivity (CEA/NCA) in 180 primary breast carcinomas. Positive tissue staining was found in more than 90% of the specimens with CEA/NCA antibodies, compared with less than 30% for both CEA-specific antibodies. There was no correlation between the positivity of CEA immunocytochemistry for any of the four antibodies and histologic grade, lymph node stage, locoregional recurrence, disease-free interval (DFI), or patient survival. This large study with a long follow-up period for patients has shown that CEA and CEA/NCA immunocytochemistry have no relation to prognosis in breast cancer. An extensive review of the literature that confirms these findings should end the controversy over the place of CEA and CEA/NCA immunocytochemistry in breast cancer.