대한대장항문학회

<b>Purpose:</b> CEA and CA72-4 assays in peritoneal fluid offers the greatest advantage in increasing the sensitivity of cytologic diagnosis of carcinomas of the G-I tract. Actually, little investigations have been taken for the relations between<br>CEA<br>and CA72-4 levels in peritoneal fluid and the clinicopathologic characteristics of colorectal carcinomas. The intent of this study was to verify the usefulness of CEA and CA72-4 levels in peritoneal fluid for the treatment of colorectal<br>carcinoma.<br><br><b>Methods:</b> Seventy-three colorectal cancer patients who were hospitalized in our colorectal division were prospectively investigated. Thirty-five out of 73 patients had ascites. Preoperatively, the levels of serum CEA and CA72-4 were<br>measured.<br>At<br>the time of laparotomy, ascites or peritoneal washings were collected from all patients and the levels of carcinoembryonic antigen and CA72-4 were measured and submitted for the analysis to the cytology laboratory. We analyzed the results with<br>the<br>levels of serum CEA and CA72-4, histologic differentiation, location, stage of the tumor, and obstruction due to tumor.<br><br><b>Results:</b> The levels of serum CEA and CA72-4 were significantly correlated with those of peritoneal fluid. The elevated levels of CEA and CA72-4 of peritoneal fluid were also significantly correlated with advanced stages of colorectal<br>carcinomas,<br>respectively. But according to histologic differentiation, only CA72-4 levels of peritoneal fluid were elevated in poorly differentiated or mucinous carcinoma. No difference between the levels of CEA and CA72-4 of peritoneal fluid was present in<br>accordance with the location of tumors.<br><br><b>Conclusions:</b> The measurement of CEA and CA72-4 of peritoneal fluid may be valuable method in discriminating between the early-stage versus the late-stage colorectal carcinoma.<br>