Estimated treatment responses in metastatic colorectal carcinoma based on longitudinal carcinoembryonic antigen series

Abstract

Carl J, Brunsgaard N, Kjaer M, Norgaard-Pedersen B. Estimated treatment responses in metastatic colorectal carcinoma based on longitudinal carcinoembryonic antigen series. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 1993; 53: 829-834.

Patients presenting with advanced or metastatic colorectal carcinoma were randomized to treatment with either 5-Fluoro-Uracil + leucovorin or 5-Fluoro-Uracil + interferon α-2-a. Longitudinal series of Carcino-embryonic-antigen were obtained and analyzed with a dynamic model in seven of 16 patients had CEA levels above lOngml⁻¹. Clinical evaluation based on X-ray, ultrasound and CT-scans showed a partial response to the given treatment in three of the seven patients. The dynamic model consistinly estimated the maximal accumulated cell kill (approximately three logs) in the patients experiencing a clinical response. The remaining four patients with CEA levels above lOngml⁻¹ showed some reduction in CEA as a consequence of the treatment cycles, although no clinical response could be established. No response was seen among the remaining nine patients with CEA levels below 10ngml⁻¹.

Key Words:

• 5 fluorouracil
• Bimodulation
• CEA
• Interferon
• Leucovorin
• metastatic colorectal cancer
• tumour marker