Value of serum acute-phase reactant proteins and carcinoembryonic antigen in the preoperative staging of colorectal cancer. A multivariate analysis.

In 55 patients with benign or malignant neoplasias of the large bowel, serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT), alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) levels, and the percentage of serum protein electrophoretic components were measured. Statistical analysis showed significant correlations between serum CEA, CRP, AAG, and AAT levels and the percentage of serum beta-globulins with the stage of the disease. Multivariate discriminant analysis gave a final prognostic model that included serum CEA, CRP, and AAT levels and the percentage of the serum beta-globulins with a significance of P less than 0.000001. The authors conclude that the serum acute-phase protein levels, in combination with serum CEA concentrations, have a definite role in the preoperative staging of large bowel cancer.