Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in patients with brain tumours

Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid CEA determination was done in 97 patients with neurosurgical disorders. Elevated titres were found in 14 of 64 patients with brain tumours. CEA levels were elevated significantly in patients with metastatic brain tumours. Following treatment, the values fell in three patients with ependymoma, medulloblastoma, and unverified brain tumour. This study suggests that CEA levels may be of value in the differential diagnosis of primary and metastatic brain tumours, and useful in the evaluation of patients with brain tumours after treatment. CEA in the cerebrospinal fluid was absent in eight patients with brain tumours.