Table II.
Correlation analysis of CEA and CA15-3 levels and final clinical response in patients classified with stable disease following the second chemotherapy cycle.
| Changes in markers | PDa, n | DCb, n | P-valuec |
|---|---|---|---|
| CEA (ng/ml) | 0.011 | ||
| Increase of ≤2 or decrease | 6 | 47 | |
| Increase of >2 | 4 | 3 | |
| CA15-3 (U/ml) | 0.034 | ||
| Increase of ≤15 or decrease | 6 | 45 | |
| Increase of >15 | 4 | 5 |
Final clinical response refers to the comprehensive clinical assessment of the therapeutic response of the patient to the chemotherapy cycles subsequent to the second chemotherapy cycle.
a
If a PD response was assessed following any chemotherapy cycle, the final response was considered to be PD.
b
Only if no PD was assessed following any chemotherapy cycle, the patient was classified as DC.
c
Fisher's exact test was used for statistical calculations. PD, progressive disease; DC, disease controlled; CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen; CA15-3, carbohydrate antigen 15-3.