Tumor marker concentrations in normal and malignant tissues of colorectal cancer patients and their prognostic relevance.

Tumor markers CEA, CA19-9, CA15-3, CA125, AFP, beta-HCG, SCC were measured quantitatively in serum, tumor tissue and healthy colonic mucosa of patients with colorectal cancer. We wanted to investigate whether there is a difference in concentration between patients with and without recurrence of cancer. During the follow-up period 14 of 38 patients showed tumor recurrence. Patients with cancer relapse had higher preoperative serum levels of CEA and CA19-9 and significantly higher concentrations in their histologically normal colonic mucosa of CEA, CA19-9, SCC and lower ones of CA15-3. The highest values of CEA, CA19-9, and SCC occurred in the mucosa of patients developing local cancer recurrence. Marker concentrations in tumor tissues themselves did not differ between patients with or without tumor relapse. Though this should be confirmed in a larger number of cases we conclude from these results that tumor marker concentrations in healthy colonic mucosa of patients with colorectal cancer may become valuable indicators of the risk of tumor recurrence.