[Determination of carcinoembryonic and carbohydrate antigens in the diagnosis of recurrences and metastases of rectal cancer].

A study was made of the results of measuring the carcinoembryonic and carbohydrate antigens using a kit of reagents in 75 patients with rectal cancer recurrences and metastases. The concentration of these antigens in healthy persons was for CEA 6.4 +/- 0.71 micrograms/l, the carbohydrate antigen--19.6 +/- 2.51 units/ml. In this group of patients rectal cancer local recurrence was found in 52, metastases to the liver in 19 and metastatic involvement of the liver and lungs in 4. An elevated level of the CEA was detected in 92.8% of the patients with cancer recurrence (the mean concentration was 99.9 +/- 9.29 micrograms/l), and in 100% of the patients with metastases (the mean concentration was 193.4 +/- 30.42 micrograms/l). The content of the carbohydrate antigen in cancer recurrences was raised in 21.3% of the cases only, in metastases to the liver in 31.6% and in 2 patients with metastatic liver and lung involvement. Thus, measuring the CEA content turned out to be the most specific and sensitive test for the diagnosis of rectal cancer recurrences and metastases. The use of the carbohydrate antigen for this purpose was found ineffective.