CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN (CEA) IN SERUM AND BILE OF COLORECTAL-CANCERPATIENTS WITH OR WITHOUT DETECTABLE LIVER METASTASES

It has been suggested that bile CEA levels could represent a sensitive index for the detection of occult liver metastases in colorectal canc er (CRC) patients. We measured serum and gallbladder bile CEA concentr ations in a control group, in a group of patients with benign disease of the biliary tree, and in patients with CRC at different stages. Neo plastic patients without evidence of liver metastases at the time of l aparotomy, but with elevated biliary CEA levels, were selected for a f ollow-up study. Our results indicate that (a) bile CEA levels are fals ely increased in several benign biliary diseases; (b) CRC patients wit h detectable liver metastases have elevated biliary CEA levels; (c) hi gh biliary CEA levels do not represent a predictive parameter far the presence of occult liver metastases in CRC patients.