[Evaluation of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the follow-up of patients with inoperable lung cancer undergoing polychemotherapy].

Twenty-two patients with surgically incurable lung cancer undergoing systemic chemotherapy have been studied with serial determinations of CEA levels during their therapy. The changes of CEA levels in each patients showed that the assay may be useful to evaluate the effects of therapy. The purpose of this preliminary study is to explore the possibility that CEA assay may be a useful guide to the subsequent clinical response of the patient to the drug.