Carcinoembryonic antigen slope analysis as an early indicator for recurrence of colorectal carcinoma.

We analyzed the time course of postoperative serum CEA concentrations in 229 patients with histologically confirmed colorectal carcinoma. Preoperative CEA levels were correlated with Dukes' stages, however, the preoperative CEA value was of limited value as a screening procedure. In 42 patients with tumor recurrence after radical resection, a diagnosis of relapse, based on a rise in the CEA concentration, preceded the positive clinical symptoms. Analysis of the CEA time course made it possible to differentiate local tumor recurrence and generalized metastasis, regardless of the histologic type or primary site of the tumor.