[The level of embryonic antigens in the blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid of neuro-oncological patients].

The levels of embryonic antigens (cancer embryonic antigen, alpha-fetoprotein, beta-chorionic gonadotropin were measured in the serum, spinal fluid, the cystic fluid of tumor 83 of neuro-oncological patients. It was found that the blood concentrations of cancer embryonic antigen and alpha-fetoprotein were not generally related to the degree of malignancy and the blood level of beta-chorionic gonadotropin decreased with the higher degree of tumor anaplasia. The high content of beta-chorionic gonadotropin in the spinal fluid suggests its origin from a brain tumor. The fatal postoperative outcome was noted in patients having high preoperative serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein and cancer embryonic antigen with simultaneous much higher concentrations of alpha-fetoprotein in the serum than those in the spinal fluid.