[Carcinoembryonic antigen in gynecological oncology]

169 CEA-determinations in sera from 119 patients with gynecologic malignancies and 30 healthy women as controls are reported. The highest percentage of positive results was found in patients with cancer of the ovaries (62%). This result is followed by 60 per cent in cancer of the collum uteri, 50 per cent in cancer of vulva and vagina and 42 per cent in cancer of the breast. Very low CEA-titers have been found in cases with cancer of corpus uteri. This method is not reliable enough for very early detection of gynecological cancer, it may be a useful help in the supervision of cancer patients who already have been treated.