Special remarks:

For the quantitative determination of the Cancer Antigen CEA concentration in human serum.

Carcinoemroyonic antigen (CEA) is a cell-surface 200-kd glycoprotein. In 1969, it was reported that plasma CEA was elevated in 35 of 36 patients with adenocarcinoma of the colon and that CEA titers decreased after successful surgery. Normal levels were observed in all patients with other forms of cancer or benign diseases. Subsequent studies have not confirmed these initial findings, and it is now understood that elevated levels of CEA are found in many cancers. Increased levels of CEA are observed in more than 30% of patients with cancer of the lung, liver, pancreas, breast, colon, head or neck, bladder, cervix, and prostate. Elevated plasma levels are related to the stage and extent of the disease, the degree of differentiation of the tumor, and the site of metastasis. CEA is also found in normal tissue.