Postoperative screening of patients with carcinoma of the colon

A prospective evaluation of 149 patients with Dukes' B2 or C colorectal carcinoma, including periodic history, physical examination, chest radiograph, liver function tests, complete blood count, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) radioimmunoassay, barium enema, and endoscopic studies, has been underway since 1976. Thirty-four patients have had recurrence. This study suggests that the history of CEA are the most sensitive noninvasive methods with which to detect recurrent tumors but are unlikely to indicate recurrence at a therapeutically advantageous stage.