Detection and clinical application of serum CEA, CA19-9 and CA242 in patients with colorectal cancer

Objective To evaluate the clinical diagnosis and the clinical application value of serum CEA,CA19-9 and CA242 in patients with colorectal cancer. Methods The serum levels of CEA, CA19-9 and CA242 were concomitantly determined by ELISA in 150 preoperative patients with colorectal cancer, and 200 healthy people as a control group. Results The levels of CEA, CA19-9 and CA242 in patients were higher significantly than that in controls (P 0.01 respectively); the sensitivity of CEA and CA242 for colorectal cancer were higher than that of CA19-9, and the combined sensitivity of CEA and CA242 or the three item were higher than that of single item or the other combined item. Between man and women with colorectal cancer, there was no significantly difference in the 3 serum tumor markers. The older of the colorectal cancer patients, the higher of the CEA levels. In the Dukes A, B, C and D, serum levels and sensitivity of the three tumor markers significantly increased in order; in the cases with lymph node metastasis, the levels of the three tumor markers were significantly increased, and in the degree of infiltration, the levels were also significantly increased in order respectively. In Dukes A and B, the levels of the 3 tumor markers were significantly lower after operation than that before operation, and in Dukes C and D there were no significantly difference. Conclusion The combined use of the 3 markers can increase the diagnostic sensitivity for colorectal cancer, and it is helpful to evaluate lymph node metastasis, degree of infiltration, dukes staging and treatment effect in making clinical therapy.