CORRELATION BETWEEN PREOPERATIVE CEA PLASMATIC LEVELS AND CEA IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STAINING IN COLORECTAL-CARCINOMA

We analyzed the distribution of Tissue CEA in 80 colorectal adenocarci nomas with the PAP Immunohistochemical technique. We used a qualitativ e method with a double grading criterion - topography and intensity of staining - as well as a semiquantitative method in the immunostaining interpretation. We applied a pattern of immunostaining: Apical, Cytop lasmic or Mixed, to each tumor. Likewise, we obtained the preoperatory serum levels of CEA. The normal value in our laboratory is less than 10 ng/ml. We correlated the Immunostaining pattern with the serum leve ls of CEA, obtaining a global statistical significant correlation (p<0 ,01), as well as Apical versus Cytoplasmic correlation (p=0,0,3). The Apical staining pattern agreed with this CEA levels <10 ng/ml, whereas the Cytoplasmic staining was associated with high frequency with CEA levels >10 ng/ml. In conclusion the Immunohistochemical staining for T isular CEA permits to improve the prognostic efficiency of Serum CEA l evels.