Evaluation of the Relationship between Carcinoembryonic Antigen and TNM Stage in Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to examine the relationship between carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in thepreoperative period and TNM (T: primary tumor, N: lymph node, M: distant metastasis or metastasis) stagingin patients with colorectal cancer in our region.Materials and Methods: In the present study, 752 cases diagnosed with colorectal cancer between January1992 and December 2010 we analyzed retrospectively.Results: Data of 752 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1992 and 2010 were evaluated; ofthe 752 patients, 427 (56.8%) were males and 325 (43.2%) were females with the mean age of 56.8±14.9years. CEA levels of 316 cases were measured; 52.2% of the samples were within normal limits. Cases withCEA ≤5 ng/mL were majorly in Stage III, whereas those with CEA >5 ng/mL were predominantly in StageIV. The TNM stage, tumor diameter, and differentiation levels were defined, and no statistically significantrelationship was detected between these parameters and CEA levels.Conclusion: While the CEA levels of 52.2% of participating cases were within normal limits, there was nostatistically significant relationship between the CEA levels and differentiation level of tumor, tumor diameter,and TNM staging. According to the data, CEA levels may be within normal limits in the majority of patientswith colorectal cancer. Therefore, normal levels of CEA will not rule out colorectal cancer diagnosis, and itcan be concluded that these patients should be investigated in detail.