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The Value of Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen in the Diagnosis of Malignant Colonic Tumor and its Prognosis

Dina Saleh, Esraah Alharris and Thair Wali Ali

ABSTRACT

Objective: To assess the diagnostic value of serum carcinoembryonic antigen in the detection and prognosis of colorectal malignant epithelial tumors.

Study Design: Case-control study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Pathology & Forensic Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq from 1^st June 2023 to 31^st December 2023.

Methods: Thirty-one patients with colorectal cancer and 36 controls. The serum level of carcinoembryonic antigens was collected from both groups. In addition, information about the age of the patients, sex of patients, tumor stage, and tumor grade was collected.

Results: Serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels were higher significantly in patients who have colorectal cancer patients in comparison to control (2.70 (2.20) vs.1.85 (1.28) ng/ml, respectively). The cut-off value of serum carcinoembryonic antigen was >2.5 ng/ml with a sensitivity level of 58.1 %, a specificity level of 83.3 %, and an accuracy level of 73.1, with the area under the curve of 0.731 indicating a fair ability to differentiate.

Conclusion: Serum carcinoembryonic antigen is the fair marker to differentiate between colorectal carcinoma and healthy control, it has good specificity but poor sensitivity and has no significant correlation to age, sex, grade of disease, and stage of disease.

Key Words: Serum, Carcinoembryonic antigen, Colorectal cancer, Malignant colonic tumor, Prognosis, Diagnosis

Citation of article: Saleh D, Alharris E, Ali TW. The Value of Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen in the Diagnosis of Malignant Colonic Tumor and its Prognosis. Med Forum 2024;35(8):4-8. doi:10.60110/medforum.350801.