Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) and Beta Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (Beta-hCG) as Markers in Breast Cancer

Abstract

Serum tumour markers,carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) and beta human chorionic gonadotropin(,B-hCG) were studied in 65 postmenopausal and 49 premenopausal postoperative breast cancer patient swith stage I,II,III and IV. Serum levels of these tumour markers were assessed before and during chemotherapy and/ or radiotherapy. Serum CEA concentration was significantly higher (>5ng/ml) in 7.9% (6/76) of patients with localand 6053% (23/38) of patients with advanced breast cancer (P<0.001)compared to controls.The concentration of,B-hC Galso increased(>7mIU) in 25%(19/76) and 36.8%(14/38) of patients without and with metastatic disease,respectively(P>.05). Following unilateral mastectomy serial monitoring of these two tumour markers was carried out in 82patients before and after the initiation of therapy.Five distinct patterns of marker levels were observed.In three patterns the marker levels increased,decreased and remained unchanged during disease progression,regression and stationary clinical state.Where as,the othertwo patterns were paradoxical to the disease. CEA and, B-hCG serum levels in patients with metastatic breast cancer correlated with the extent of disease and postoperative values obtained before and after the initiation of therapy were found to be clinically useful markers which could be utilized for prognostic purposes.