Relationship between colorectal liver metastases and CEA levels in gallbladder bile. Preliminary results

Abstract

Correlation between colorectal liver metastases and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in gallbladder bile of 45 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma was examined. Bile CEA controls samples were obtained from 10 patients with cholelithiasis; 32 patients had no detectable liver metastases. The mean value of biliary CEA was 21,7 ng/l. In 13 patients with liver metastases the mean value of biliary CEA was 164 ng/l. The mean value of biliary CEA in the control group was 17,7 ng/l. Based on statistical analysis two groups of patients could be identified: patients with high levels of biliary CEA and liver metastases and patients with low levels of biliary CEA and no liver metastases. High levels biliary CEA in patients with no detectable liver metastases may identify patients with a high risk of colorectal adenocarcinoma liver metastases. Only with further long term folllow-up of these patients and with a prospective analysis this question can be answered.