[Clinical value of CEA studies in patients with benign and malignant breast diseases with special reference to...

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was assayed by radio immunoassay in serum of 87 patients with breast cancer and 85 patients with benign breast tumors from 1983 to 1986. The sensitivity of 43%, the specificity of 89%, the predictive values in regard to a positive assay result of 75% and in regard to a negative assay result of 67% was determined in consideration of a changed prevalence. It is referred to the importance of the estimation of CEA in the individual diagnosis, monitoring and follow up of patients with breast cancer. It is claimed the follow up for the premature recording of a recurrency the aid of CEA-estimation in always the same technical variant at the same patient.