Preoperative Carcinoembryonic Antigen Predicts Outcomes in Node-Negative Colon Cancer Patients: A Multivariate Analysis of 572 Patients

Abstract

Routine histologic and demographic factors do not predict outcome in node-negative colon cancer patients. Preoperative CEA and overall stage predict survival by multivariate analysis. Preoperative CEA elevation in node-negative patients identifies a group of patients that has a poor prognosis and defines a subset of patients who may benefit from postoperative chemotherapy.