Evaluation of gastric carcinoembryonic antigen analysis as an aid during screening for gastric neoplasia in atrophic gastritis.

The value of gastric juice and tissue carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) analysis as an adjunct to endoscopic screening for gastric neoplasia was investigated in 61 patients with atrophic gastritis of whom 41 had other (superimposed) gastric lesions: six adenocarcinoma, four carcinoid, 23 regenerative polyps with or without dysplasia and eight fundic, or antral mucosal dysplasia. The gastric concentration of CEA did not differ between patient groups with different superimposed lesions. In these patients the gastric juice CEA concentrations were significantly increased in comparison with those in patients without superimposed lesions (p = 0.002). Gastric juice CEA concentrations above the upper range (+2SD) of those observed in normal controls were found in 40 (98%) of 41 patients with superimposed lesions and in 13 (65%) of 20 patients without such lesions (p = 0.001). At re-examination of 26 patients without neoplasia initially, after a mean interval of 32 months two (without polyps initially), had developed regenerative polyps, one an adenoma, and one an adenocarcinoma. These four had raised gastric juice CEA concentrations at the initial examination.