Serum IgE levels in patients with cancer

Serum levels of IgE and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were determined in 100 patients with carcinoma of the breast and 81 with colon carcinoma in different stages of their disease. CEA levels reflected the stage of the disease and increased progressively from stage 1 to 4. In contrast, all patients regardless of their type of malignancy, stage of the disease, or CEA level had a similar IgE blood level which did not differ from that of the control group.