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. 1994 Sep;70(3):549–553. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1994.343

The role of CA-242 and CEA in surveillance following curative resection for colorectal cancer.

N R Hall 1, P J Finan 1, B M Stephenson 1, D A Purves 1, E H Cooper 1
PMCID: PMC2033359  PMID: 8080745

Abstract

This study was undertaken to evaluate the role of a new tumour marker, CA-242, alone or in combination with CEA in the practical management of colorectal cancer patients after potentially curative resection. A cohort of 149 patients who had undergone 'curative' surgery was followed up according to an intensive protocol in order to detect recurrent disease. Over a median tumour marker follow-up period of 24 months there were 25 recurrences in 24 patients. Both CEA and CA-242 alone detected half the local recurrences. The sensitivity of CEA was 84% for distant or mixed recurrence compared with 64% for CA-242. An abnormality of either CEA or CA-242 enabled detection of five out of six local recurrences and 17 out of 19 distant or mixed recurrences with a median lead time of 5 months for each marker. Both markers were elevated concurrently in only one local and 11 distant recurrences. While CA-242 alone is not superior to CEA, their combined use (either abnormal) has a high sensitivity (88%), specificity (78%) and negative predictive value (97%); this may be useful in reducing unnecessary investigations in follow-up programmes and as a guide to the initiation of further treatment for recurrent disease.

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Selected References

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