Reference :
ELSA2-CEA
Available outside the USA The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), first described by Gold and Freedman in 1965, is a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of approximately 180,000 D. Carcinoembryonic antigen is mainly secreted and excreted by digestive tract glandular cancers (of the colon, rectum, pancreas, stomach) and their metastases. It is also found in other types of cancer (breast, lung, ovary, bladder, thyroid...). A high level of CEA is present in fetal colic mucosa, and a low level in normal adult colic mucosa. This lack of specificity is demonstrated by increased levels in benign digestive inflammatory diseases and in hepatobiliary system diseases. At present, the CEA assay's clinical interest is mainly demonstrated in the field of colorectal cancers : - It helps determine the disease's stage and it prognosis, with a particularly significant correlation in the last 2 stages of Dukes classification. - It allows monitoring of therapeutic efficacy. In particular, postoperative persistence of CEA elevation indicates an incomplete resection. - It is of undoubtable interest in relapse diagnosis and consequent early second-look surgery decision-taking. In the breast and lung-cancer fields, CEA level is related to metastatic dissemination, and its variations are considered useful indicators when monitoring patient response to therapy. Finally, the association of CEA with thyrocalcitonin is helpful in diagnosing thyroid medullary cancer and in following up any relapse.
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