Abstract

This study was performed in order to clarify the diagnostic significance of plasma CEA level in various carcinomas and non-neoplastic diseases. The material used were 184 cases of the patients with carcinomas and 148 cases of the patients with non-neoplastic diseases. The patients were valued the plasma CEA level when the surgical specimens were submitted for evaluation of pathological diagnosis to our department of pathology, from Feb. 1979 to Jan. 1981. The frequencies of abnormal elevation of plasma CEA level were compared statistically with each other. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1) In the non-neoplastic diseases, the rate of abnormal elevation of plasma CEA level of the patients with liver cirrhosis was 44%, the patients with inflammatory disease of hepatobiliary system 26.9%, patient with inflammatory diseases of G-I tract 18.9%, and the patients with inflammatory diseases of other organs 20.0%, respectively. The rate of abnormal elevation of plasma CEA level of the patients with liver cirrhosis was significantly higher than that of various systems. 2) In the carcinomas, the rate of abnormal elevation of plasma CEA level of the patients with colorectal carcinoma was 34.6%, the patients with stomach carcinoma 39.3%, the patient with primary carcinoma of liver 57.5%, the patient with pulmonary carcinoma 40.0%, and the patients with pancreatic carcinoma 41.0% respectively. In the rate of abnormal elevation of plasma CEA level, there was no distinct difference among the cases of carcinomas. 3) The average rate of abnormal elevation of plasma CEA level, there was no distinct difference among the cases of carcinomas. 3) The average rate abnormal elevation of plasma CEA level in the patients with carcinomas was 42.9%, the patients with liver cirrhosis 44.0%, and the patients with inflammatory diseases 21.4%, respectively. The rate of abnormal elevation of plasms CEA level of the patients with carcinomas or liver cirrhosis was higher than that of the patients with inflammatory diseases. 4) The rate of abnormal elevation of plasma CEA level in patients observed were increased with age, but not differ by sex. On the basis of the above findings, it was suggested that plasma CEA is not specific in certain carcinoma and that it may have some significance to differentiate carcinomas and inflammatory diseases.