Carcinoembryonic antigen and alpha fetoprotein levels in retinoblastoma

Plasma carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels were analyzed in 22 patients with retinoblastoma. In 13 patients, the titers could be determined both before and after treatment. The plasma CEA level was elevated in 4 to over 2.5 ng ml-1 prior to therapy, and the plasma AFP level was elevated in 4 to over 20 ng ml-1 before treatment. High CEA and AFP levels in all patients at the time of pretreatment were lowered with therapy. In most bilateral cases, conservative treatment had been performed in the contralateral eye after the severely diseased eye had been enucleated. Plasma CEA and AFP levels were gradually decreased during therapy. These levels were elevated with a recurrence and/or bone metastasis.