Immunoperoxidase staining for carcinoembryonic antigen in colonic carcinoma, osteosarcoma, and chordoma

An indirect immunoperoxidase method was used in an attempt to detect carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in 17 well-differentiated colonic adenocarcinomas, five osteosarcomas, and four chordomas. Fifteen of the adenocarcinomas were positive, and five of them had been fixed and embedded in 1952 and one in 1942. Two other adenocarcinomas from 1942 were not positive. CEA was not demonstrated in any of the osteosarcomas or chordomas.