Significance of tumor markers CA19-9 and CEA for predicting metastasis and prognosis of gastric cancer

Objective To investigate the relationships between tumor marker CA19-9,CEA and biological characteristics of gastric cancer,and their value for predicting metastasis and prognosis of gastric cancer.Methods A retrospective analysis of 248 cases with gastric cancer which were treated in our hospital in 2003 was conducted.Univariate analysis was used to investigate the relationships between serum CA19-9 level,serum CEA level and biological characteristics of gastric cancer.Serum CA19-9 and CEA levels were used to predict metastasis in gastric cancer by ROC analysis.Kaplain-Meier method was used to analyse the relationship between serum CA19-9 level,serum CEA level and prognosis of gastric cancer.Results Univariate analysis showed that factors correrlated with elevated serum CA19-9 level were depth of infiltration,lymphatic metastasis,size of tumor,surrounding organs to be involved.Factors correrlated with elevated serum CEA level were depth of infiltration,lymphatic metastasis,liver metastasis,peritoneal metastasis,size of tumor,and surrounding organs to be involved.ROC analysis indicated that elevated serum levels of CA19-9 were of some value for predicting lymphatic metastasis of gastric cancer,and elevated serum levels of CEA were of some value for predicting lymphatic metastasis,he-patic metastasis of gastric cancer,surrounding organs to be involved.Patients at the same disease stage(stageⅢ~Ⅳ)with elevated serum levels of CA19-9 and CEA had a significantly worse prognosis than patients with normal serum levels of CA19-9 and CEA.Conclusion Elavated serum CA19-9 and CEA levels are late events of gastric cancer,and of some value for predicting metastasis and prognosis of gastric cancer.