The significance of colon cancer tumor marker examination

In the diagnosis of colon cancer, serological examination is often easily overlooked. When human cells become cancerous and develop malignant tumors, the tumor cells themselves will synthesize, release or stimulate the body to produce a class of substances, which are called tumor markers. There are many kinds of tumor markers. Although they are not specifically related to cancer, different tumor markers will appear in different cancers.

Tumor markers associated with colon cancer

Among many tumor markers, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is the one with the highest correlation with colon cancer. CEA is a glycoprotein that exists in the fetal digestive system during the embryonic period and is present in very low levels after birth. If an abnormal increase is detected, it indicates that a disease including colon cancer may be present.

Clinical significance of CEA

Gastrointestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis, pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, and some non-digestive tract diseases can cause a slight increase in CEA, but a significant increase in CEA is most common in colon cancer, and can also be seen in pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, etc. Because a variety of diseases can cause an increase in CEA, it is not disease-specific and cannot be used as a diagnostic indicator. Its significance lies in quantitative dynamic observation, which is useful for judging the surgical effect of colorectal cancer and monitoring postoperative recurrence. For example, after the colorectal cancer tumor is completely removed by surgery, serum CEA gradually decreases and returns to normal levels; if it recurs, it may rise again a few weeks ago.