Prediagnostic Levels of Carcinoembryonic Antigen and CA 242 in Colorectal Cancer: A Matched Case-Control Study

Abstract

Elevated carcinoembryonic antigen levels strongly indicate occult colorectal cancer. Although the specificity of the carcinoembryonic antigen test in its present form is high, the sensitivity is disappointingly low, prohibiting the use of the carcinoembryonic antigen test for mass screening.