Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Cancer of the Female Reproductive System Sequential Levels and Effects of Treatment*

Abstract

Summary: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in serum was studied serially in 27 patients with cancer of the female reproductive system and 7 patients with other cancers, particularly of the colon or rectum, after surgical excision, irradiation, or no treatment. CEA became undetectable 2 weeks after complete surgical excision of cancer, whereas persistence of elevated levels of CEA indicated residual cancer. However, there was no decline in levels of CEA after radical radiotherapy of cervical carcinoma over a 10‐week period of study, suggesting continuous release of CEA from tumour tissues undergoing radiation‐induced necrosis. Sequential levels of CEA in serum represent a good index of effectiveness of surgical excision of cancer and should thus be of great value in post‐operative follow‐up.