Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is not normally produced in significant quantities after birth but is elevated in colorectal cancer. The aim of this review was to define the current role of CEA and how best to investigate patients with elevated CEA levels. A systematic review of CEA was performed, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Studies were identified from PubMed, Cochrane library, and controlled trials registers. We identified 2,712 papers of which 34 were relevant. Analysis of these papers found higher preoperative CEA levels were associated with advanced or metastatic disease and thus poorer prognosis. Postoperatively, failure of CEA to return to normal was found to be indicative of residual or recurrent disease. However, measurement of CEA levels alone was not sufficient to improve survival rates. Two algorithms are proposed to guide investigation of patients with elevated CEA: one for patients with elevated CEA after CRC resection, and another for patients with de novo elevated CEA. CEA measurement has an important role in the investigation, management and follow-up of patients with colorectal cancer.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Parturition ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic significance of hematological toxicities during cervical cancer treatment. Methods: Patients treated for cervical carcinoma with definitive chemoradiation were identified. Toxicities were assessed during weeks 1 to 6 of concurrent external beam radiation and chemotherapy. Outcomes were analyzed using Cox regression analysis. Results: One hundred twenty-one patients with Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I-III disease were eligible for analysis. Median age at diagnosis was 45 years (interquartile range, 40-52) with median follow-up time of 34 months (95% confidence interval, 30.8-37.2). All patients experienced some grade of hematologic toxicity. The most common grade 3+ toxicities were low absolute lymphocyte count (n=115, 95%), low white blood cell count (n=21, 17%), and anemia (n=11, 9%). The most common grade 4 toxicity was lymphopenia, experienced by 36% of patients (n=44). Grade 4 lymphopenia was associated with reduced overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 4.5; P=0.005), progression-free survival (HR, 3.4; P=0.001), and local control (HR, 4.1; P=0.047). Anemia grade 3, 4 was also associated with reduced overall survival (HR, 4.1; P=0.014). After controlling for disease and treatment variables, grade 4 lymphopenia remained significantly associated with reduced overall survival (HR, 9.85; P=0.007). The association with grade 4 lymphopenia only remained significant in women of Hispanic ethnicity. Conclusion Severe lymphopenia was associated with reduced overall survival and progression-free survival in Hispanic women undergoing definitive chemoradiation for cervical cancer, but not associated with outcomes in non-Hispanic women.