Frontiers in Oncology (Oct 2021)

Association Between Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen Levels at Different Perioperative Time Points and Colorectal Cancer Outcomes

  • Zhenhui Li,
  • Dafu Zhang,
  • Xiaolin Pang,
  • Shan Yan,
  • Ming Lei,
  • Xianshuo Cheng,
  • Qian Song,
  • Le Cai,
  • Zhuozhong Wang,
  • Zhuozhong Wang,
  • Dingyun You

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2021.722883
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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BackgroundWhether elevated postoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels are prognostic in patients with stage II colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial.Patients and MethodsPrimary and sensitivity analysis populations were obtained from a retrospective, multicenter longitudinal cohort including consecutive patients without neoadjuvant treatment undergoing curative resection for stage I–III CRC. Serum CEA levels before (CEApre-m1) and within 1 (CEApost-m1), 2–3 (CEApost-m2–3), and 4–6 months (CEApost-m4–6) after surgery were obtained, and their associations with recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed using Cox regression. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed.ResultsPrimary and sensitivity analysis populations included 710 [415 men; age, 54.8 (11.6) years] and 1556 patients [941 men; age, 56.2 (11.8) years], respectively. Recurrence hazard ratios (HRs) in the elevated CEApre-m1, CEApost-m1, CEApost-m2–3, and CEApost-m4–6 groups were 1.30 (95% CI: 0.91–1.85), 1.53 (95% CI: 0.89–2.62), 1.88 (95% CI: 1.08–3.28), and 1.15 (95% CI: 0.91–1.85), respectively. The HRs of the elevated CEApre-m1, CEApost-m1, CEApost-m2–3, and CEApost-m4–6 groups for OS were 1.09 (95% CI: 0.60–1.97), 2.78 (95% CI: 1.34–5.79), 2.81 (95% CI: 1.25–6.30), and 3.30 (95% CI: 1.67–.536), respectively. Adjusted multivariate analyses showed that both in the primary and sensitivity analysis populations, elevated CEApost-m2–3, rather than CEApre-m1, CEApost-m1, and CEApost-m4–6, was an independent risk factor for recurrence, but not for OS. The RFS in the elevated and normal CEApost-m2–3 groups differed significantly among patients with stage II disease [n = 266; HR, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.02–8.24 (primary analysis); n = 612; HR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.34–5.38 (sensitivity analysis)].ConclusionsElevated postoperative CEA levels are prognostic in patients with stage II CRC, with 2–3 months after surgery being the optimal timing for CEA measurement.

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